Chaos erupts at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium as disappointed fans riot after Messi's brief appearance
What began as an eagerly awaited event for Lionel Messi fans at Salt Lake Stadium devolved into chaos as thousands rioted after his brief visit.
Fans entered the ground and ran riot after they could not get a view of Lionel Messi in Kolkata.
Last Updated: 10.40 PM, Dec 13, 2025
What began as a dream event for Lionel Messi fans turned into a nightmarish scene of violence and disorder at Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday, as thousands of ticket-holders rioted after the football legend's fleeting five-to-20-minute visit.
Chaos in Kolkata
Messi, the 38-year-old Inter Miami star and eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, arrived amid massive hype for a friendly match and a felicitation ceremony. Social media footage under hashtags #Messi𓃵, #MessiInIndia, and #Messi exploded with clips of the Argentine waving to crowds.
However, fans quickly vented fury online, claiming he stayed barely 20 minutes—some reports said just five, constantly mobbed by media, politicians, and "privileged contacts."
About 100-200 VIPs crowded him, while 80,000 paying supporters in the 85,000-capacity venue strained for a glimpse.
"Messi arrived and Mess followed," one viral post lamented, capturing the swift descent into pandemonium. Anger boiled over as fans hurled bottles, belts, chairs, and other objects from the stands, vandalised hoardings, and broke stadium seats.
Panic spread through the packed arena, forcing security forces to resort to lathi-charges, baton beatings to disperse the rioting crowd.
Fans started throwing objects, and entered the ground
ANI footage showed chaotic scenes: supporters clambering over barriers, objects flying toward the pitch, and police scrambling to restore order.
"Chaos erupted at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium as angry fans hurled bottles and chairs from the stands. Legendary footballer Lionel Messi has left the stadium. More details are awaited," the news agency reported.
Criticism poured in targeting the West Bengal government's event arrangements. Social media users accused officials of prioritising selfies with family and VIPs over crowd control. "This clearly shows the kind of arrangements made by the Bengal government. The people of the Bengal government were busy taking photos of themselves and their family members. Absolutely the worst arrangements," one post read, amplifying widespread outrage.
The Messi craze, real and fervent in cricket-dominated India, exposed organisational flaws. Fans who "paid heavily for tickets" felt cheated by the brief appearance and poor logistics, with no clarity on the promised friendly match. Security lapses allowed the situation to escalate rapidly, drawing parallels to past crowd disasters at Indian sports venues.
Local police confirmed injuries among fans and officers but provided no arrest figures. Event organisers have not issued a statement, and Messi's team remained silent on the incident. Kolkata, dubbed Indian football's "Mecca," hosted the event at the home of Mohun Bagan Super Giant and Diamond Harbour FC, but the fiasco risks tarnishing its reputation.