A Miami-based event promoter has filed a $7 million lawsuit against soccer star Lionel Messi and the Argentine Football Association (AFA), alleging fraud and breach of contract over a canceled exhibition match in China. The lawsuit, filed in a Florida federal court, claims the parties failed to fulfill a contract for Messi to play in a match in Hangzhou in March 2025.
According to court documents, the promoter, World Soccer Marketing LLC, alleges that Messi and the AFA agreed to have the player participate in the friendly match but later backed out. The suit claims the cancellation caused significant financial losses for the promoter, who had invested in marketing and ticket sales for the event.
The match was reportedly canceled amid controversy over Messi's absence from a separate exhibition match in Hong Kong in February 2025, which had sparked public outcry. The new lawsuit focuses specifically on the contractual obligations for the Hangzhou match. Representatives for Messi and the AFA have not yet issued public statements regarding this specific legal filing.
