Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 05:33am on 30 Aug 2026,Sunday India
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has assured that 33,000 fans who purchased tickets for Lionel Messi’s chaotic appearance at Kolkata’s Yuva Bharati Stadium will receive refunds from the state’s sports budget. The tickets reportedly cost ₹4,000 and ₹6,000, while the refund demand had remained unresolved since the December 13, 2025 event. Messi’s brief appearance was followed by crowd disorder, protests and vandalism at the stadium. Adhikari said the refund process has already been initiated internally. He also announced a ₹400-crore sports budget and plans to develop mini indoor stadiums across West Bengal.
