Tatler XFEST sold 38,000 tickets on Messi's name — he never played

Inter Miami — with Lionel Messi on the roster — was booked to play a Hong Kong select XI at Hong Kong Stadium on February 4, 2024. Organiser Tatler Asia sold the match on the star: tickets from HK$880 to HK$4,880 sold out, and about 38,000 fans filled the stadium.

Messi did not play. He sat in the stands while the crowd booed and called for refunds, and four days later he played in Tokyo. Hong Kong officials said they had pressed for alternatives such as an on-field appearance; the government called the episode 'extremely disappointing'.

On February 9 Tatler Asia announced a 50% refund for tickets bought through official channels — a payout that could reach HK$56 million — and withdrew its application for a HK$16 million government grant. By then the Consumer Council had logged 1,303 complaints totalling HK$8.92 million.

Ticketholders accepting the refund had to waive legal claims. The fiasco cost the organiser its margin and Hong Kong a flagship sports moment: the match was meant to show the city could host global events, and instead showed what happens when a star is the entire bill.