Messi Faces Lawsuit Over Missed Miami Friendly Appearance
A legal dispute has emerged involving Lionel Messi after the Argentine superstar was accused of breaching a contract by failing to play in a high-profile exhibition match in Miami last year.
According to court documents filed on March 31 in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, Miami-based event promoter VID Music Group has launched a lawsuit against Messi, the Argentine Football Association (AFA), and sports executive Julian Marcos Kapelan. The claims include allegations of fraud and breach of contract tied to Argentina’s international friendlies staged in October 2025.
The complaint states that VID secured exclusive rights to organise and promote Argentina’s matches against Venezuela and Puerto Rico, with revenue streams tied to ticket sales, broadcasting, and sponsorship deals. Central to the agreement, the promoter alleges, was a clause requiring Messi to play at least 30 minutes in each fixture unless sidelined by injury.
VID argues that Messi’s presence was a critical commercial component, describing his participation as the “primary economic driver” behind the matches. However, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner did not feature in Argentina’s 1-0 victory over Venezuela on October 10, instead watching from a suite at Hard Rock Stadium in South Florida.
The lawsuit further alleges that Messi, alongside Kapelan and the AFA, engaged in conduct intended to mislead the promoter into signing the agreement under false pretences. Claims of negligent misrepresentation and contractual breaches have also been levelled at the AFA, including issues related to the Venezuela match, the Puerto Rico fixture, and additional games planned in the United States for June 2026.
Despite missing the Venezuela match, Messi returned to action days later. He played a starring role for Inter Miami, scoring twice in a 4-0 victory over Atlanta United, before featuring for Argentina in a 6-0 win against Puerto Rico on October 14, where he registered two assists. That match, also organised by VID, was relocated from Chicago to Fort Lauderdale.
The case adds an unexpected off-field complication for Messi, now 38, as legal proceedings unfold over one of the sport’s most marketable figures and his involvement in international exhibition matches.
