Mumbai: Football icon Lionel Messi’s GOAT India Tour 2025 moved to Mumbai on Sunday amid heightened scrutiny after chaos and vandalism marred a packed event in Kolkata, prompting the arrest of the tour’s main organiser and a high-level probe by West Bengal authorities.
Messi is scheduled to participate in multiple events in Mumbai, including a padel exhibition match at the Cricket Club of India and a seven-a-side exhibition football game at the Wankhede Stadium, where Bollywood celebrities are expected to take part. The Mumbai leg will conclude with a closed-door charity fashion show and memorabilia auction linked to Argentina’s 2022 FIFA World Cup triumph.
The tour, which began in Kolkata on Saturday, descended into disorder after Messi made only a brief, heavily guarded appearance at the Salt Lake Stadium, leaving thousands of fans frustrated. Anger spilt into the stands, with spectators damaging seats, barricades and railings, police said.
Following the incident, West Bengal Police arrested principal organiser Shatadru Dutta on charges related to alleged mismanagement and public disorder. A Bidhannagar court on Sunday sent him to 14 days of police custody.
A three-member enquiry committee appointed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inspected the stadium a day after the incident to assess damage and examine crowd management failures. The panel is headed by retired Calcutta High Court judge Justice Ashim Kumar Ray and includes Chief Secretary Manoj Pant and Home Secretary Nandini Chakravorty.
Officials said the committee traced Messi’s movement inside the stadium and reviewed security arrangements, entry points and access corridors. Broken chairs, twisted metal barricades and damaged seating were visible across several galleries, and restoration work was paused to allow a detailed assessment.
Banerjee apologised to Messi and fans following the chaos and ordered the enquiry to fix responsibility and recommend corrective measures to prevent similar incidents at high-profile events.
The All India Football Federation also raised concerns, citing serious lapses in crowd management and security. Around 50,000 spectators attended the Kolkata event, with ticket prices ranging from Rs 4,000 to Rs 12,000, officials said, while some tickets were reportedly sold on the black market at much higher rates.
Despite the controversy, organisers said the Mumbai events would proceed as scheduled, with Messi expected to make on-field appearances for fans under tight security arrangements.
