Chinese officials call off Argentina games after Messi's absence
Argentina and the Ivory Coast in China has been called off by local authorities, marking the second cancellation of an Argentine match in China this week. The decision comes amidst controversy surrounding Lionel Messi's absence from a match in Hong Kong last Sunday.
The Beijing Football Association announced on Saturday that it would not organize the friendly scheduled for March, stating that Beijing currently has no plans to host the match involving Lionel Messi.
This cancellation follows the scrapping of another friendly between Argentina and Nigeria, which was also scheduled for March, by the Hangzhou Sports Bureau.
Messi's absence from the Hong Kong match last Sunday, due to injury during a preseason trip with Inter Miami, sparked outrage among fans. Some demanded refunds for their tickets, as Inter Miami's coach, Gerardo Martino, had initially indicated that Messi would likely play.
The match in Hong Kong, heavily promoted with a large advertising campaign, was marred by Messi's absence, leading to the withdrawal of $2 million in government grants for the event. The Hong Kong government expressed disappointment over Messi's non-participation, stating that it did not meet fans' expectations.
Tatler Asia, the organizer of the Inter Miami game in Hong Kong, announced a 50 percent refund to ticket holders in response to the backlash. Meanwhile, Messi played 30 minutes in Inter Miami's match against J-League champion Vissel Kobe in Tokyo on Wednesday,
