ICC Chairman Jay Shah made a special gesture to football legend Lionel Messi during the final leg of his GOAT India Tour in Delhi. Shah presented Messi with the first ticket to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and invited him to attend India’s opening match against the USA in Mumbai.

Messi receives T20 World Cup invitation at Arun Jaitley Stadium

Lionel Messi’s GOAT India Tour concluded on Monday, December 15, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, where ICC Chairman Jay Shah was among the dignitaries present to welcome the Argentine football superstar. Shah presented Messi with a customised Team India jersey bearing the iconic No. 10, along with a signed cricket bat and an invitation ticket to India’s opening match at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Luis Suarez and Rodrigo de Paul, who accompanied Messi on the tour, were also gifted Team India jerseys with Nos. 9 and 7 respectively. The presentation was made in the presence of Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and DDCA president Rohan Jaitley, with around 25,000 fans filling the stadium to catch a glimpse of one of football’s greatest players.

India’s T20 World Cup 2026 schedule

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 will be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, 2026. India will open their campaign against the United States on February 7 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, the same venue where Messi had earlier met cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar during his tour.

India’s Group A schedule also includes matches against Namibia on February 12 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, Pakistan on February 15 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, and the Netherlands on February 18 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. This makes the ticket even more meaningful, as Messi will have the chance to return to the very stadium where he concluded his India tour if he attends the Namibia match.

Messi promises to return to India

Speaking to the crowd in Spanish, Messi expressed his gratitude for the overwhelming love and support he received throughout his tour. “I want to thank everyone for the love and affection during these days in India – it was a truly beautiful experience for us,” Messi said. He added, “We carry all this love with us – we will definitely return – hopefully one day to play a match or on another occasion, but we will definitely return to visit India. Thank you very much”.

Messi’s GOAT India Tour began in Kolkata on Saturday but faced early challenges due to crowd mismanagement at Salt Lake Stadium, where Messi left after just 15 minutes. However, the tour recovered well in Hyderabad and Mumbai before concluding successfully in Delhi, despite his flight being delayed due to dense fog in the capital.

A GOAT meets GOAT moment

The moment when Jay Shah presented Messi with the T20 World Cup ticket drew loud applause and was celebrated online as a “GOAT meets GOAT sport” crossover. The gesture highlighted the growing bond between cricket and football in India and celebrated India’s expanding presence on the global sporting stage. Whether Messi will actually attend the India vs USA match remains to be seen, but the invitation itself has created excitement among both cricket and football fans in India.