Lionel Messi Faces Lawsuit Over Missed Argentina Friendly

Miami event promoter alleges soccer star breached contract by skipping exhibition match

Apr. 16, 2026 at 7:22pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a fragmented soccer match, with overlapping planes of light blue, white, and contrasting colors representing the teams in action.A lawsuit over Lionel Messi's absence from an Argentina friendly exposes the high-stakes business behind international soccer exhibitions.Chicago Today

Lionel Messi is facing a lawsuit from a Miami-based event promoter, VID Music Group, that claims the soccer star breached a contract by failing to play in an exhibition match for Argentina's national team last year. The lawsuit alleges Messi conspired with the Argentine Football Association and a sports executive to induce VID into signing contracts under false pretenses.

Why it matters

Messi's participation is often a key commercial driver for Argentina's international friendlies, so his absence can significantly impact the events' ticket sales, broadcast rights, and sponsorship revenue. This lawsuit highlights the high stakes and legal disputes that can arise when star athletes don't fulfill their contractual obligations.

The details

According to the lawsuit, VID signed an agreement with the Argentine Football Association (AFA) last summer to organize and promote Argentina's October 2025 friendlies against Venezuela and Puerto Rico. The deal required Messi to play at least 30 minutes in each match unless he was injured. However, Messi did not play in the Venezuela match, instead watching from the stands, before appearing and scoring twice for his club team Inter Miami the next day. Messi did later play in the Puerto Rico match, which was also organized by VID.

  • On October 10, 2025, Messi did not play in Argentina's 1-0 win over Venezuela.
  • On October 11, 2025, Messi started and scored twice for Inter Miami in a 4-0 win over Atlanta United.
  • On October 14, 2025, Messi played for Argentina in a 6-0 victory over Puerto Rico, recording two assists.

The players

Lionel Messi

A 38-year-old Argentine soccer player who is considered one of the greatest players of all time. He currently plays for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.

VID Music Group

A Miami-based event promoter that signed an agreement with the Argentine Football Association to organize and promote Argentina's international friendlies in October 2025.

Argentine Football Association (AFA)

The governing body of soccer in Argentina that signed the contract with VID Music Group to host the October 2025 friendlies.

Julian Marcos Kapelan

A sports executive named in the lawsuit alongside Messi and the AFA.

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What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on whether to allow the lawsuit to proceed against Messi, the AFA, and Kapelan.

The takeaway

This lawsuit highlights the high-stakes nature of international soccer friendlies and the importance of star players fulfilling their contractual obligations. It also raises questions about the transparency and accountability of governing bodies like the AFA when negotiating these types of events.