WORLD CUP champions Argentina,
led by Lionel Messi, will play Austral
ia in an international friendly match
at the Jawaharlal Nehru Internation
al Stadium in Kochi, Kerala, on No
vember 17. The fixture was official
ly confirmed by the Argentine Foot
ball Association and the Kerala
government,
according
to
the
event sponsors, Reporter Broad
casting Company.
Anto Augustine, Managing Director
of Reporter Broadcasting Company,
which is organizing the match, con
firmed the details and said discussions
are also underway to finalize a second
friendly for Australia. “We could con
firm it only after a few days, but ef
forts are on to get a strong team for
Australia to play against,” Augustine
told Sportstar. “Iran is one of the
teams we are looking at.”
According to the organizers, the
Argentine team will arrive in Kochi on
November 15, while the Australian
squad will land on November 10, accom
panied by a delegation from the Australi
an government.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan held a high-
level meeting on Tuesday to review preparations for the
visit. The Chief Minister’s Office said the renovation
works to upgrade the stadium to world-class standards
are progressing rapidly and will be completed soon.
The stadium, also known as Kaloor Stadium, is being
refurbished at an estimated cost of ₹70 crore to meet FI
FA standards. More than 2,000 workers are engaged in
the renovation, which includes installing new seating
across the venue, upgrading high-intensity lighting sys
tems, and revamping the VIP galleries and pavilions. The
entire project is expected to be completed within 30 days.
As part of the celebrations, an AR Rahman musical
concert and a performance by rapper Hanumankind will
be held at the venue on November 16, a day before the
match. A drone show has also been planned.
Ticket prices for the Argentina-Australia friendly will be
officially announced soon. Augustine clarified that reports
circulating about ticket rates are inaccurate, and official
ticket sales are expected to begin by October 18 or 19.
De Paul and Suarez join Messi’s India tour
Meanwhile, Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul and
Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez have confirmed their
participation in the upcoming “GOAT Tour to In
dia 2025” alongside Messi. Organizer Satadru
Dutta announced their inclusion on social media,
saying, “Game Set Match... So it’s now confirmed
and official. World Cup winner Argentine super
star Rodrigo De Paul and Uruguayan and Barce
lona legend Luis Suárez will join Messi for the
‘GOAT Tour to India 2025’ Vamos.”
De Paul, a key figure in Argentina’s 2022 World
Cup-winning squad, currently plays for Atlético
Madrid in Spain’s La Liga. Known for his relent
less work rate and close on-field understand
ing with Messi, he has been one of Argentina’s
most dependable midfielders.
Suarez, one of the most prolific forwards of
his generation, previously starred for Barcelona
and Liverpool and has scored over 500 career
goals. During his six-year spell at Barcelona, he
formed a famous
attacking
trio
with
Messi and Neymar, win
ning four La Liga titles
and
the
2015
UEFA
Champions League.
Messi, who last visit
ed India in 2011 for a
friendly match against
Venezuela,
said
it
would be an “honor”
to return to the “pas
sionate football na
tion.” His India tour
will begin in Kolkata
on December 13, fol
lowed by matches in
Ahmedabad, Mumbai,
and New Delhi, be
fore concluding with a
meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Decem
ber 15. Tickets for the GOAT
Tour matches have been in
high demand. In Mumbai, all
28,000 seats
at
the
Wankh-
e d e
S t a d i
um, priced
from `6,980,
have
already
sold
out.
In
Kolkata, 46,000
of
the
68,000
tickets have been
sold, starting at
`4,366. At the Arun
Jaitley Stadium in
w
D e l h i ,
where capac
ity is 28,000,
ticket
prices
begin at `7,670.
The back-to-
back
events
in
Kochi and across
India mark one of
the most high-pro
file football tours
in the country’s
history,
bringing
some
of
the
world’s
greatest
footballers
to
gether on Indian
soil once again.
(With inputs from
agencies)
WEST INDIES cricket great and
Hall of Famer Shivnarine Chand
erpaul inaugurated a new cricket
ground at the Thornton Sports
Complex on October 4, 2025.
The facility is the first in
Thornton to feature floodlights,
allowing for evening and night
matches and training sessions.
It will primarily serve youth and
school cricket, benefiting Ad
ams 12 Five Star Schools, in
cluding Thornton High School
and nearby middle schools.
The opening ceremony was
attended by Thornton Mayor
Jan Kulmann, cricket Hall of
Famer Jatin Patel, and officials
from the City of Thornton and
local schools. A ribbon-cutting
ceremony marked the occasion.
Mayor Kulmann said cricket
connects families, neighbors,
and diverse cultures, helping to
foster community spirit and
support youth development.
Chanderpaul’s presence moti
vated student-athletes from
Thornton Middle School and
Thornton High School, who
participated in the event.
The Colorado Tennis Cricket
League (CTCL) led the project
to promote cricket in local
schools. Manoj Gangwar and
Anil Vijay from CTCL, Fareed
Stanikzai and Charlene Fauls
from the school district, and
Vinod Murthy from DYCA were
recognized for their contribu
tions to youth cricket develop
ment in Colorado.
Jatin Patel recalled his first
visit to Colorado in 2017, when
he was invited by Raymond
Mascarenhas of the Colorado
Cricket League to train local
coaches for youth cricket. He
said the sport has since made
steady progress in the region,
supported by local volunteers
and organizers.
Geo George Vadakkan, presi
dent of CTCL, expressed appre
ciation to all who contributed to
the event’s success. He said,
“Special thanks to Mr. Jatin Pa
tel, whose unwavering support
since 2017 has been instrumental
in shaping CTCL into the thriv
ing league it is today. His guid
ance and expertise have elevated
our league and fostered the
growth of individual players. We
are also deeply grateful to the
legendary Shivnarine Chander
paul for taking the time to join
us and share his invaluable ex
perience with our players. His
presence was a tremendous mo
tivation for our cricketers.”
Vadakkan added, “Our com
mittee members’ passion and
dedication to cricket are evident
in the growth and diversity of
our league, which has become a
melting pot of cultures and tal
ents. This growth has helped
our community come together
and provided a platform for peo
ple to connect, learn, and
thrive.” The event also featured
Aaralyn Ann Vadakkan, a senior
scholar at Cherry Creek High
School, who anchored the cere
mony and was presented with
an autographed cap by Chander
paul. The new ground is ex
pected to host regular school
and youth cricket activities and
provide a platform for develop
ing local talent in Colorado.
Chanderpaul opens new cricket ground in Colorado
Kerala gears up to host
Messi-led Argentina
WORLD CHAMPIONS TO FACE AUSTRALIA IN KOCHI AS STADIUM GETS MAJOR UPGRADE
INDIA has formally pro
posed Ahmedabad as
the host city for the 2030
Commonwealth Games,
presenting its bid before
the Evaluation Commit
tee of Commonwealth
Sport in London, the
Gujarat state govern
ment announced.
The Indian delegation,
led by Gujarat Sports
Minister Harsh Sanghavi
and Indian Olympic As
sociation President PT
Usha, described the bid
as a historic opportunity
marking the centenary
of the Commonwealth
Sport Movement.
The proposal positions
Ahmedabad as a com
pact host city with inter
national-standard ven
ues, modern transport
networks, and high-
quality accommodation.
It emphasizes afforda
bility, inclusivity, flexibili
ty, and sustainability, in
line with the Games Re
set principles.
“Hosting the Centenary
Commonwealth Games
in Ahmedabad will be a
proud milestone, not just
for Gujarat but for India,”
said Sanghavi.
PT Usha added, “In
dia’s bid is not just about
capability, but about
values. Ahmedabad is
ready to pick up the ba
ton from Glasgow 2026
and ensure the cente
nary edition honors the
past while shaping the
future of Common
wealth Sport.”
The bid is backed by
the Indian and Gujarat
governments and the
Commonwealth Games
Association of India.
India bids
to host 2030
Games
Sport
www.indiaweekly.biz • October 2025
24
GLOBAL GAME: Messi, who last visited
India in 2011 for a friendly match against
Venezuela, said it would be an “honor” to
return to the “passionate football nation.”
© Getty Images
GOLDEN CHANCE:
Harsh Sanghavi and
PT Usha present
Ahmedabad’s bid
PITCH PERFECT: (From left) Jatin
Patel, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and
Thornton mayor Jan Kulmann