The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has issued a formal statement after the chaotic scenes at Kolkata’s Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan during Lionel Messi’s GOAT India Tour event. The federation said it is “deeply concerned” by what transpired, where thousands of fans gathered to see Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul but the situation descended into disorder. Crucially, AIFF clarified that this was a private event organised by a PR agency and that it had no role in the organisation, planning or execution.
According to the statement, the event details were never communicated to the federation, nor was any clearance sought from it. The AIFF stressed that it was not associated with the programme in any capacity. Urging all attendees and stakeholders to fully cooperate with the relevant authorities, the federation underlined that maintaining order and ensuring the safety and security of everyone involved must remain the paramount priority in such high-profile events.
