KOCHI: The Argentina football team and star player Lionel Messi will not be visiting Kerala next month as scheduled, the event's sponsor announced on Saturday.

Earlier, Anto Augustine, the sponsor of the proposed football match along with the state sports department, had announced that the Argentina team led by Messi would play a friendly match in Kochi on November 17.

However, Augustine announced on his Facebook page that the match will not take place next month.

"Considering the delay in receiving FIFA's permission, after discussions with the Argentine Football Association (AFA), it has been decided to postpone the match from the November window," Augustine wrote.

He said the match in Kerala will be held during the next international window, and the new date will be announced soon.

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