Lionel Messi, Argentina Face Legal Trouble Before World Cup 2026

As reported by TMZ Sports and other major news outlets, a Miami-based event company, VID, has filed a lawsuit against Lionel Messi and the Argentine Football Association (AFA) for fraud and breach of contract.

The legal action stems from two friendly matches scheduled for October 2025 against Venezuela and Puerto Rico.

Lionel Messi and Argentina Football Association Sued for Breach of Contract

VID, which specializes in large-scale sports and music productions, alleges that the contract specifically required Messi to play at least 30 minutes in each match unless he was sidelined by a physical injury.

The dispute intensified when Messi did not participate in the match against Venezuela at Hard Rock Stadium, choosing instead to watch the game from a private suite.

VID claims this absence caused financial damage to the company, leading to ticket refunds and the cancellation of major advertising commitments.

The plaintiff finds the injury claim particularly questionable because Messi played for his club, Inter Miami, the very next day.

During that club appearance, he scored two goals and registered an assist, a performance VID argues proves he was fit to fulfill his international obligations just 24 hours earlier.

VID asserts it paid the AFA approximately $7 million for the rights to these exhibition games.

Beyond the losses tied directly to Messi's absence, the company cites over $1 million in damages caused by the relocation of the Puerto Rico match.

That game was moved from the high-capacity Soldier Field in Chicago to a much smaller stadium in Fort Lauderdale.

Between the venue change, low attendance, and unfulfilled promises of compensatory matches, VID is now seeking millions of dollars in total damages.

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This story was originally published April 15, 2026 at 3:37 PM.