22,000 free India-Uruguay tickets for fans hit by Messi fiasco

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has announced that 22,000 fans who bought tickets for last year's chaotic Lionel Messi event in Kolkata will receive free tickets for India's international friendly against Uruguay on October 6.

The announcement came after India's 4-0 defeat to Brazil at Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday, with the government highlighting the smooth conduct of the match as a contrast to the disorder that surrounded Messi's appearance at the venue in December 2025.

The 22,000 free tickets will be offered to people who purchased tickets online for the Messi event but were unable to properly watch the Argentine star amid the crowd-related chaos. The proposal is expected to go through the state cabinet, with details on how eligible fans can claim the tickets to be announced by the government.

The Messi event at Salt Lake Stadium was marred by severe overcrowding and disorder, with fans protesting after being unable to see the football star despite paying for tickets. The episode led to widespread criticism of the organisation and security arrangements.

The government has since taken a more cautious approach to major football events at the venue. For Saturday's India-Brazil friendly, Adhikari said 20,000 seats were left unsold to reduce the risk of overcrowding. Around 51,000 spectators attended the match, which ended without the disorder seen during the Messi event.

Adhikari said authorities would use the same approach for the India-Uruguay fixture, working to ensure the October 6 match avoids a repeat of last year's problems.

The decision also gives the Uruguay friendly a compensation element for fans who felt let down by the Messi event. Rather than a direct ticket refund, the proposed remedy would give eligible ticket holders access to another international fixture at the same stadium.

The India-Uruguay match will be played at Salt Lake Stadium on October 6, with Uruguay providing another major international test for Khalid Jamil's Indian side following the Brazil fixture.

Adhikari has also indicated that West Bengal could play a larger role in supporting Indian football, pointing to Odisha's earlier sponsorship of the Indian hockey team as a possible model for state-backed support of football.