Kerala sports minister V Abdurahiman on Monday said the Argentina football team led by star player Lionel Messi will play a match in the state in March next year.

Earlier, the Argentine football team’s proposed visit in November to play a friendly against a top international side was called-off.

He was speaking at a function related to the Kerala government’s Sports Vision 2031 event here. “Two days ago, we received a mail from the Argentina team confirming that they will come in March. They also mentioned that an official announcement will be made soon,” he said.

He said all preparatory works have been completed for the team’s visit. Abdurahiman added that the government had earlier intended to host the south American team at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi this month.

“Even though we expected to complete the facilities at the stadium in Kochi, due to some inconvenience, the work could not be finished on time. As the stadium approval was not received, we could not host the match,” he said.

The minister said changes in the schedule of international matches are common and should not be seen as anyone’s victory or defeat.

“We tried to bring such a major football event to Kerala, and that attempt itself is commendable,” he said.

As part of promoting the sports economy, the government has decided to host several international sports events in the state, he added.