The Argentinian national football team is set to visit Kerala for two friendly matches in October 2025, confirmed by the Kerala Sports Minister, V Abdurahiman. The announcement follows an online discussion with officials from the Argentine Football Association (AFA), including Pablo Diaz (Head of International Relations at Argentina FA), Pranabjyoti Nath IAS (Kerala Sports Secretary), and Navas Meeran (President of Kerala Football Association).
Minister Abdurahiman shared the news on Facebook, stating, “The champion team, which is very well aware of the love and support they receive from Kerala, gleefully accepted our request.” The AFA has shown interest in collaborating with the Kerala Football Association, aiming to coach 5000 students in the football-loving state.
Initially planned for June 2024, the matches were rescheduled to October 2025 due to the challenges of hosting during the monsoon season. Despite acknowledging the difficulty, Minister Abdurahiman believes hosting Argentina in Kerala would be a significant gift to football fans, boosting confidence among local sports enthusiasts.
This development comes after India declined an offer for the Indian National Football Team to face Argentina in 2023, a decision previously expressed by the minister, emphasizing Kerala’s deep love for football, particularly for Argentina and Brazil.