London-headquartered HSBC has inked a one-year partnership with the Argentina Football Association ( AFA ), becoming the first banking institution to collaborate with the Argentine national football team in Singapore and India.

The alliance, spanning the 2025 and 2026 seasons, will see the the reigning world champion Argentina national team, featuring global football icon Lionel Messi, travel to India in October 2025 and Singapore in early 2026 for exhibition matches.

HSBC customers and partners, the bank notes, will enjoy exclusive access to match tickets, curated fan experiences, and once-in-a-lifetime meet-and-greet opportunities with the Argentine players.

The bank will be hoping for smooth execution of the campaign following a controversy in Hong Kong in February 2024 involving a heavily promoted exhibition match between US football team Inter Miami and a local team during which Messi, captain of both Inter and Argentina, remained on the bench due to injury, giving rise to disappointment and refund demands.

The incident strained relations with organizers and raised broader concerns around transparency and accountability in global sports promotions, particularly when the presence of a superstar like Messi is central to fan engagement and ticket sales.

“Partnering with the Argentina Football Association brings a new dimension of excitement to our customers in Singapore,” says Ashmita Acharya, the bank’s head of international wealth and premier banking in Singapore. “Through this collaboration, we’re not just offering financial services, we’re connecting clients with iconic champions and global moments that inspire.”

AFA president Claudio Tapia adds: “This partnership is part of our broader international strategy to bring the Argentina brand to key markets and build lasting regional ties.”