Bengal to refund ticket money to 33,000 fans after chaotic Messi event, says CM Suvendu Adhikari

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday announced that the state government will refund the ticket money of around 33,000 football fans who attended Lionel Messi's ill-fated event at Kolkata's Yuva Bharati Stadium last year, saying the reimbursement would come from the state's sports budget.

Speaking at a special National Sports Day programme at Nabanna to mark the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand, Adhikari said he had already begun the process to compensate fans who had purchased tickets priced at ₹4,000 and ₹6,000 for the event held on December 13, 2025.

"Messi has a huge fan base. They had purchased tickets costing ₹4,000 and ₹6,000. It is my wish to ensure that the money paid by these 33,000 sports enthusiasts is refunded. I have already initiated the process internally. I hope to be able to accomplish this," he said.

Messi's visit to the Yuva Bharati Stadium was marred by large-scale mismanagement and chaos.

The disorder was widely blamed on the excessive hobnobbing by then Sports Minister Aroop Biswas of the Trinamool Congress government.

Thousands of spectators had demanded refunds for their tickets after the event, but the issue remained unresolved.

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The National Sports Day programme was attended by former hockey player Gurbux Singh, Sports Minister Indranil Khan, All India Football Federation President Kalyan Chaubey and other dignitaries. The state government also felicitated accomplished athletes and handed over appointment letters to sportspersons.

Taking a swipe at the previous government over its handling of sports, Adhikari said, "You would be surprised to know that the paperwork for many of the athletes who received appointment letters today had been gathering dust in the Chief Minister's office for 11 years."

He also criticised what he described as the steady decline of Bengal's sporting presence at major competitions.

Adhikari also criticised what he described as the steady decline of Bengal's sporting presence at major competitions.

"In recent years, West Bengal's representation in the Olympics, the Asian Games, or national teams has been virtually non-existent, whereas states like Odisha and Jharkhand send representatives," he said.

"Bengal possesses talent, intellect, dedication, and focus, but lacks the necessary systems, initiatives, and political will. Why must every sports sector or organisation be controlled by politics?" he added.

Promising systemic reforms, Adhikari said, "The change this time will be a transformation of that very system. We will ensure that happens."

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Outlining his government's roadmap for the sports sector, the Chief Minister said, "We have allocated a budget of four hundred crore rupees for the sports sector; although, this is not a full-year budget but one covering eight months."

"We will build mini indoor stadiums in all 294 assembly constituencies, featuring tennis courts, badminton courts, and gymnasiums. It is not possible to build 294 stadiums in a single year, so we will construct 100 stadiums this year," he said.

Claiming that existing sports infrastructure had been neglected, Adhikari said, "The existing stadiums are in a dilapidated state; the previous government neglected the sports sector."