The incident transpired on December 13 at Salt Lake Stadium (Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan), marking Messi’s first trip to Kolkata in 14 years as part of the GOAT India Tour 2025. What was supposed to be a grand celebration quickly unraveled into turmoil, characterized by vandalism, disappointed fans, and a political clash between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) making headlines.
Numerous invited guests, including Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly, and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself, were unable to join as planned due to the disruptions. Messi, along with teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, spent a mere 20 minutes on the field, heavily surrounded by officials, politicians, and security personnel, resulting in thousands of ticket-holders unable to properly view the football icon.
Fan unrest and property damage
Fans, who paid between ₹4,000 and over ₹12,000 for tickets, voiced their frustration by throwing bottles and chairs onto the pitch, damaging stadium property, and trying to breach security gates. The West Bengal Police detained the main organiser, Satadru Dutta, and announced plans for ticket refunds. Messi was forced to exit the stadium early due to safety concerns.
Political fallout
The incident rapidly turned into a political controversy. BJP Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari condemned the TMC, labeling it a “TMC Loot-Fest at Yuva Bharati,” accusing senior TMC officials of monopolizing Messi’s time for publicity while neglecting fans. He demanded Biswas’ resignation, full ticket refunds, and a High Court-led investigation.
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The TMC admitted to administrative shortcomings but placed the blame on the event organizers for the chaos. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee described the situation as “deeply disturbing and shocking,” issued a public apology to Messi and the fans, and established a high-level inquiry committee led by retired Calcutta High Court Judge Justice Ashim Kumar Ray, along with the Chief Secretary and Home Secretary, to investigate the incident and recommend measures to prevent such chaos in the future.
