A Florida promoter paid millions to see Lionel Messi take the field, but a bizarre move by the icon has led to a lawsuit

Lionel Messi is reportedly facing a lawsuit from a Florida promoter, who is suing the global soccer icon for fraud and breach of contract after he skipped a game for Argentina last year. This isn’t just about a missed match, the promoter claims they lost out on millions of dollars due to the superstar’s absence.

VID, a Miami-based company specializing in sports and music events, has filed a lawsuit against both Messi and the Argentina Football Association (AFA). The company claims it struck a substantial $7 million deal with the AFA for exclusive rights to two exhibition matches. These games, Argentina vs. Venezuela and Argentina vs. Puerto Rico, both took place in October, according to Daily Mail.

A crucial part of that agreement, VID alleges, was that Messi was required to play at least 30 minutes in each of the two games, unless he was sidelined by an injury. However, when Argentina played Venezuela, Messi reportedly watched the entire match from the stands of Hard Rock Stadium. VID claims they even paid for the suite where Messi spent the evening with his family, which just adds insult to injury for the promoter.

He watched from the suite while millions were on the line

What makes this even more eyebrow-raising is that the very next day, the 38-year-old was on the field, scoring twice as his club team, Inter Miami, beat Atlanta United. So, it wasn’t an injury keeping him out of the Argentina friendly, which is a pretty big deal when you’re talking about a multi-million dollar contract. Messi did feature when Argentina later played Puerto Rico, where he set up two goals in a dominant 6-0 win.

That appearance doesn’t negate the alleged breach for the Venezuela game, though, and it seems VID is looking for some serious compensation. The promoter’s financial woes didn’t stop there VID also claims they lost more than $1 million after one of the games was moved from Chicago to Fort Lauderdale. Officials in Chicago reportedly pointed to low ticket sales as the reason for the relocation, while the Argentine federation cited an immigration crackdown in Chicago.

Regardless of the reason, VID believes they took a significant financial hit from the change of venue. To make matters worse, VID claims the AFA promised to make things right by arranging games against China in 2026. However, those promised matches never actually materialized. It really sounds like a string of disappointments for the company that had invested so heavily in these events.

Now, VID is reportedly seeking reimbursement for all the money they lost, and then some, which certainly puts Messi and the AFA in a tough spot. This situation isn’t entirely unique when it comes to fan expectations and Messi’s appearances. Just last month, Major League Soccer (MLS) and the Vancouver Whitecaps settled a class-action lawsuit that raised similar concerns. That lawsuit claimed they relied on “misleading promotional material” when selling tickets for an Inter Miami clash in May 2024.

Fans were apparently led to believe Messi and other Miami stars would play in the game, only for none of Messi, Luis Suarez, or Sergio Busquets to travel with the team. While both MLS and the Whitecaps denied any liability, they were ultimately ordered to pay a collective $329,000 to settle. Despite these off-field legal hurdles, Inter Miami secured a 2025 MLS Cup and was recently honored at the White House by President Donald Trump for their solid overall performance.

It’s a clear signal that fans and promoters are serious about wanting to see the star players they’re paying for. Messi’s global appeal is massive, which is why his presence on the field commands high fees and generates intense fan interest. He has been recognized on the Time 100 list of the world’s most influential people multiple times. His image is so iconic that World Press Photo even selected “The Final Game,” showing Messi facing the World Cup trophy in 2014, as the best sports image of that year.

This isn’t the first time Messi’s absence from a highly anticipated match has caused a stir, either. On February 4, 2024, during an exhibition match between Inter Miami and Hong Kong League players at Hong Kong Stadium, Messi remained on the bench for the entire game. This decision led to massive backlash in both Hong Kong and China, as thousands of spectators had purchased tickets specifically hoping to see him play.

The Chinese Football Association took the serious step of temporarily halting its partnership with the Argentine Football Association over the incident.