After reports of chaos during Lionel Messi’s Saturday event in West Bengal’s Kolkata, focus has now shifted to Telangana’s Hyderabad, where authorities have assured that elaborate arrangements are in place to prevent any repeat of disruptions as the football icon’s G.O.A.T India Tour 2025 reached the city on Saturday evening.
Hyderabad on Alert as Lionel Messi’s G.O.A.T India Tour 2025 Arrives After Kolkata Chaos
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy formally welcomed Messi at the historic Falaknuma Palace, according to PTI. The grand reception marked the beginning of Messi’s highly anticipated engagements in Hyderabad, which have drawn massive excitement among football fans across the country.
Messi’s schedule in the city includes a much-awaited 7v7 exhibition football match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. The event is expected to be a major highlight of the tour, with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy also set to join Messi on the pitch, symbolising the state’s push to promote sports and global sporting culture.
The programme will conclude with a large-scale musical extravaganza celebrating Messi’s legendary football career, his international achievements and his impact on the global sporting world. Organisers say the event has been designed as a fan-interaction showcase rather than a full-length competitive match.
Tight Security and Crowd Management Measures
Ahead of the event, Rachakonda Police Commissioner G Sudheer Babu detailed the extensive security and logistical preparations made by the Telangana Police to ensure a smooth and incident-free programme.
“Proper arrangements have been made. Around 4,000 police personnel have been deployed. Lionel Messi will have interactions at the stadium, and the entire area has been barricaded,” the police commissioner told ANI.
Clarifying expectations for fans, he added that the exhibition is limited in duration. “We are informing the public that this is not a full-fledged match. It will be a one-hour event with public interaction. What happened in other parts will not happen here,” he said.
Officials have also emphasised the large seating capacity of the stadium and a well-planned entry-exit system to manage crowds effectively. Authorities remain confident that Hyderabad’s arrangements will ensure a safe and memorable experience for fans eager to witness the football legend in action.
