21 June 2023, 02:00 AM IST
Interested in India
: The fans in India missed the chance to watch the game of world champions Argentina and superstar Lionel Messi. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) said ‘No’ to Argentina who expressed interest in a friendly match with India due to financial problems. It will cost more than 42 crore rupees to conduct the game. Organizers will have to figure this out.
Interested in India
The Argentine Football Association informed the AIFF that it was interested in a friendly match three months ago. In the World Cup in Qatar, the support of South Asian countries including India was noticed by the Argentina team. Argentina hosted India in the slots for two friendlies between 12 and 20 June. Bangladesh has also been linked with a desire to play in South Asian countries. But both countries called off the game as they could not afford the cost of playing against Argentina. The competition went to China and Indonesia.
Both Messi and Argentina have huge fan following in India. 3.2 crore people watched Argentina’s match in the World Cup final digitally in India alone.
cost
Argentina team will have to pay more than 20 crore rupees. The amount will increase depending on the participation of superstars. It can be up to Rs 30 crore. Other expenses are above ten crore rupees. This includes the chartered flight and accommodation to bring the Argentina team. Apart from this, the stadium and security will also cost a huge amount.
arrival
Huge amount should be received as sponsorship. Apart from this, the money should come from ticket price and television-digital transmission. However, the Federation is of the opinion that there is no situation to get a huge amount of sponsorship. Messi and his team could fill the 85,000-capacity Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
The federation was also set back by the fact that it would not get a huge amount as broadcasting rights as it was a single match.
India Misses Chance to Host Argentina and Lionel Messi Due to Financial Constraints
21 June 2023, 02:00 AM IST
Football fans in India were left disappointed as the All India Football Federation (AIFF) declined Argentina’s request for a friendly match with India. The AIFF cited financial problems as the reason for rejecting the proposal, as it would cost more than 42 crore rupees to organize the game.
The Argentine Football Association had expressed their interest in a friendly match with India three months ago. The Argentina team had noticed the support they received from South Asian countries, including India, during the World Cup in Qatar. Argentina had initially planned to host India for two friendlies between 12 and 20 June. However, both India and Bangladesh had to cancel the games due to the inability to afford the costs associated with playing against Argentina. As a result, the matches were relocated to China and Indonesia.
Both Lionel Messi and the Argentina team have a massive fan following in India. In fact, 3.2 crore people in India alone watched Argentina’s match in the World Cup final digitally.
The cost of hosting the Argentina team would have exceeded 20 crore rupees, with the amount increasing depending on the participation of superstars like Messi. Other expenses, including chartered flights, accommodation, stadium rental, and security, would have added up to more than ten crore rupees.
The AIFF’s decision to decline Argentina’s request highlights the financial challenges faced by Indian football. While the fans were eagerly looking forward to witnessing the world champions and their star player in action, the financial burden proved to be too significant for the AIFF to bear.
It remains to be seen if India will have future opportunities to host international football matches and welcome renowned teams like Argentina. The AIFF and other stakeholders will need to find sustainable solutions to overcome financial constraints and ensure the growth and development of football in the country.