The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on Sunday, October 19 examined the arrangements for the proposed international friendly between Argentina and Australia in Kerala's Kochi. A coordination meeting took place in Saudi Arabia with key football officials in attendance. The session included AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, who serves as Bahrain's Crown Prince and holds the position of Senior Vice President at FIFA. Other participants were Anter Isaac, Chairman of Australia's Football Federation, Kalyan Choubey, President of the All India Football Federation, and Anto Augustine, Managing Director of Reporter Broadcasting Company. During discussions, Anto Augustine confirmed plans to secure required permissions from FIFA. The AFC pledged complete cooperation for hosting the fixture in Kochi and welcomed the opportunity to stage a high-profile international friendly in India, particularly in Kerala. According to reports, officials think that Argentina's visit as reigning world champions would boost football development across Asia.

Kochi Getting Ready

Meanwhile, a meeting was chaired by Kerala Chief Secretary A Jayathilak at IMA House to ensure construction activities finish on schedule. The event was reportedly attended by Principal Secretary Muhammed Haneesh and Anto Augustine. The match is set for November 17 at Kaloor's Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium. The stadium would see an upgrade costing approximately Rs 70 crore. Argentina and Australia last met during the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where Argentina secured a thrilling 2-1 victory. That memorable encounter saw Lionel Messi deliver a stunning goal alongside Julian Alvarez's contribution, which proved decisive for the eventual world champions. Australia managed to pull one back through an Enzo Fernandes own goal in the closing stages, with just ten minutes remaining in the contest.

It has been reported that the Argentine contingent traveling to Kerala would feature nearly the entire World Cup-winning roster, except for Angel Di Maria and Enzo Fernandez. Lionel Messi is expected to lead the team as captain, with Lionel Scaloni continuing in his role as head coach for the visit to Kochi. As the date for the match inches closer, speculations have risen whether Messi would actually feature in the match. These concerns gained momentum following Argentina's recent friendly fixture in Miami, where the world champions secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Venezuela without their talismanic captain. Other reports have also raised doubts on Lionel Messi's availability. According to Argentine sports outlet TyC Sports, the national team's itinerary for the November international window is under review. The Albiceleste are expected to play Angola in Luanda, while the second match, initially planned for Kerala, may also be moved to Africa with Morocco being considered as a possible venue.

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