Fans who attended Sunday's Lionel Messi-less friendly between a Hong Kong XI and Inter Miami will receive 50% refunds after Messi did not play due to injury.

Tatler Asia, the publication that organized the friendly, responded to backlash from the Hong Kong government and Chinese state media by offering the refunds, which will come to about $7 million in total.

“We apologise to all those who were disappointed by the football match between the Hong Kong Team and Inter Miami CF on Sunday, February 4th. An event that we had hoped to be the pride of the city, and which we have worked very hard on for months, has become the source of great heartbreak,” the company said in a statement.