Lionel Messi and the Argentine Football Association are facing a lawsuit over alleged fraud and breach of contract linked to exhibition matches played last October.
Argentina had been scheduled to feature in two friendly matches, where Messi was reportedly expected to play at least 30 minutes in each game. However, he did not participate and instead watched from the stands, which triggered the legal action.
The lawsuit was filed by a Miami-based event promotion company, VID, which claims it secured exclusive rights to the matches against Venezuela and Puerto Rico and paid $7 million for the deal.
According to the filing, Messi’s absence violated the agreement, as he was expected to feature unless injured. Despite attending one of the matches, he chose not to play so he could be available for Inter Miami’s MLS fixture the following day.
The second match was later moved from Chicago’s Soldier Field to Fort Lauderdale, a change the company claims led to losses exceeding $1 million, although officials attributed the relocation to low ticket sales.
VID also alleged that the AFA had promised to compensate for the situation with a future match in China in 2026, which never happened.
This is not the first time legal action has arisen over Messi’s absence from scheduled matches, as similar claims have been made in the past regarding promotional expectations.