Massive chaos at Messi's Kolkata event, anti-riot force deployed at stadium; Mamata Banerjee issues apology
PTC News Desk: What was supposed to be a special, once-in-a-lifetime experience for fans who paid ₹5,000 or more to see Lionel Messi in Kolkata turned into chaos at the Vivekananda Yuvabharati (Salt Lake) Stadium. Fans who had waited for months were left disappointed as Messi’s time on the field was cut very short because of poor crowd management and confusion.
According to eyewitnesses, Messi’s planned walk around the stadium never really happened. As soon as he came onto the field, he was surrounded by politicians, officials, celebrities, their family members, and a large number of photographers. The crowd around him became so crowded that his security team stopped the lap altogether, leaving most fans without a proper view of their idol.
#WATCH | Kolkata, West Bengal: Angry fans resort to vandalism at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, alleging poor management of the event.
Star footballer Lionel Messi has left the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
A fan of star footballer Lionel Messi said, "Absolutely terrible… pic.twitter.com/TOf2KYeFt9 — ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2025
When news spread that Messi would not stay long, frustration grew among spectators. Angry fans later broke security barriers and damaged parts of the stadium after failing to see the Argentine star clearly during his roughly 30-minute appearance, causing major embarrassment for the ruling Trinamool Congress ahead of elections.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee later apologised publicly to Messi and his fans, saying she was shocked by the “mismanagement.” She announced that an inquiry committee, led by a former judge and including senior officials, would investigate what went wrong at the event.
"I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake Stadium. I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident," said Banerjee, who was on her way to the stadium to attend the event.
"I am constituting an enquiry committee under the chairmanship of Justice (Retd.) Ashim Kumar Ray, with the Chief Secretary and the Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Hill Affairs Department, as members. The committee will conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident, fix responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future," read her apology post.
I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake Stadium. I was on my way to the stadium to attend the event along with thousands of sports lovers and fans who had gathered to catch a glimpse of their favourite footballer, Lionel Messi.
I… — Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 13, 2025
- With inputs from agencies
