• Lionel Messi’s 20-minute appearance at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata was cut short after fans ripped out seats and threw them onto the pitch and track.
• Video from the ground shows supporters climbing fences and hurling objects; several complain they could not see despite paying for premium tickets.
• West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee apologised and ordered an enquiry to fix responsibility and prevent future mismanagement.
• The incident took place during the opening day of Messi’s India tour, which includes charity events, clinics and public appearances.
H2: Quick summary of what happened
Lionel Messi’s India tour opened in chaotic fashion on Saturday at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium when disgruntled fans ripped seats from the stands and threw them onto the pitch and running track. The Argentina and Inter Miami forward made a brief, 20-minute appearance, walking around the playing surface and waving to the crowd before leaving amid tight security.
H3: Scenes from the stadium and eyewitness accounts
Video footage shared by ANI shows groups of supporters climbing inner fences and hurling broken plastic seats and other objects onto the field. Several fans are heard shouting in frustration that they could not see Messi’s face despite purchasing expensive tickets — one attendee told ANI they paid 12,000 rupees and were still blocked from viewing.
Watch the on-the-ground video (ANI): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaWtj7NkxUM
H3: Government response and probe
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee posted an apology on X, saying she was “deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake Stadium.” She said she had constituted an enquiry committee to investigate the incident, fix responsibility and recommend steps to prevent similar failures in future. (See her post: https://twitter.com/mamataofficial)
H2: Context — Messi’s India tour plans
Messi is in India for a multi-city tour that will include concerts, youth football clinics, a padel tournament and charitable initiatives scheduled across Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi. On Saturday he also virtually unveiled a 70-foot statue in Kolkata, and has historic ties to the city after playing a friendly there with Argentina in 2011.
H3: Reaction and broader implications
The disorder at Salt Lake Stadium underscores the challenges of staging major celebrity sporting appearances in venues not geared for such intense public demand. Organisers face scrutiny over crowd control, ticketing and security arrangements after fans complained of poor visibility and restricted access. The enquiry ordered by the state government will examine operational lapses and recommend corrective measures.
H4: What happens next
Authorities in West Bengal will release findings from the inquiry once it completes its review. Messi’s tour will continue with events planned in other cities, but organisers will likely face pressure to tighten security and improve crowd management to avoid repeat incidents.
For now, the images of seats strewn across the track and video of fans climbing fences remain the dominant memory from Messi’s Kolkata appearance — an episode that organisers and officials have pledged to investigate and learn from.
Image Referance: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/dec/13/lionel-messi-india-tour-chaos-angry-fans-seats-pitch-kolkata