FIFA World No. 24 Australia are willing to travel to Kerala to play an international friendly against the Lionel Messi-led Argentina, Malayalam media reports said on Saturday.
READ HERE | CONFIRMED! Lionel Messi’s Argentina to play in Kerala in November
It was Kerala's Minister for Sports V. Abdurahiman who confirmed that the "Socceroos" has officially shown interest to become Argentina's opponents for the FIFA friendly scheduled to take place between November 10 and 18. Abdurahiman said two other elite teams are also being considered and requested the media to wait for an official confirmation on the matter.
Australia has participated in the FIFA World Cup finals on seven occasions, making their debut in 1974. After a long 32-year wait, they next qualified for the 2006 World Cup. Since then, the Socceroos have been a consistent presence, qualifying for every tournament: 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022. Their best performance came in 2006 and 2022, when they reached the Round of 16 and have already secured their place in the upcoming 2026 World Cup from the Asia zone.
Whoever gets picked for the match, it will not be a closed-door match and football lovers will be allowed to watch the game from the stadium, the minister said. The government is expecting a sold-out game and thus will make alternate arrangements for the public to see the Argentina team up close, he added.
After several months of uncertainties and confusions, the Argentina Football Association (AFA) officially confirmed that a full-strength team, led by the legendary Lionel Messi, will play an international friendly in Kerala. The World champions will be in the south Indian state from November 10 to 18.
“The Argentine national team, led by Lionel Scaloni, will have two FIFA friendlies in the remainder of 2025.
“The first, in October, from the 6th to the 14th, will be played in the United States (rivals and cities to be determined). The second, a FIFA friendly in November, from the 10th to the 18th, will be played in Luanda, Angola, and Kerala, India (rivals to be determined),” the Argentina Football Association (AFA) said in a statement.
The announcement came as a great cause for rejoice for hundreds of fans in Kerala, as there were reports that the world champion team's visit to the state was cancelled.
