Minister, Australia are not coming to Kerala. Messi’s Argentina will need a new opponent if they visit in March

Argentina versus Australia. That was the fixture proposed by Kerala's Sports Minister V Abdurahiman and a sponsor for a friendly football match in Kochi on November 17. After that match was called off, the minister reiterated that Argentina will visit in March.

Whether Lionel Messi's World Champions make the trip to Kerala or not, one thing is clear: Australia will not be visiting Kerala in March. That much became obvious Friday afternoon when the FIFA Series 2026 was announced with Australia as one of the host nations.

The Socceroos themselves confirmed in a statement that the FIFA Series will "play an essential role in preparing for the upcoming World Cup whilst also strengthening our international competitiveness as a whole".

The event in Australia will feature three more nations, each playing a two-match double-header. Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mauritius, Puerto Rico, Rwanda and Uzbekistan will also host similar FIFA Series events in the March window. The FIFA Series is an initiative aimed at creating opportunities cross-continent opponents. "The format provides a pathway for national teams that rarely face opponents from other continents," said FIFA in a statement.

Australia are one of the 48 teams that will take part in the World Cup to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.

Meanwhile, Minister Abdurahiman and the sponsor have maintained that the Argentine Football Association has agreed to send Messi and his world beaters to Kochi for the proposed friendly in the next FIFA window, which runs from March 23 to 31, 2026. Argentina play Spain in the Finalissima, the intercontinental clash between champions of Europe and South America in the same window. That match is scheduled to take place at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar on March 27.