From November 16, the Indian Football Team will compete in joint FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers. India is in Group A of the Asian qualifiers, together with Qatar, Kuwait, and Afghanistan. Head coach Igor Stimac plans to name a 28-man likely squad soon.
The Blue Tigers’ season will begin on November 16, 2023, with an away game at Kuwait. Before hosting Qatar, the defending AFC Asian Cup champions, on November 21, 2023, at Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga Stadium. India will host a training camp in Dubai before to their World Cup qualifier against Kuwait. The Indian Football Team will travel for Dubai on November 8.
The Indian Football team will be without the services of Anwar Ali and Jeakson Singh. With the young duo suffering injuries to keep them off for a long time. Jeakson had suffered a shoulder injury while Anwar Ali has sustained one on his ankle. India will also be without the services of Ashique Kuruniyan who suffered an ACL injury earlier this year.
On the contrary Mumbai City FC duo Apuia and Vikram Pratap Singh are set to be named in the probable squad. While Vikram is yet to make his debut, Apuia is set for return since the Intercontinental Cup. Apuia was said to have been involved in a feud with the India boss. however, that set to have ended.
Indian Football Team 28 men probable squad:
Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Amrinder Singh, Vishal Kaith.
Defenders: Nikhil Poojary, Roshan Singh, Sandesh Jhingan, Mehtab Singh, Lalchungnunga, Akash Mishra, Subhasish Bose.
Midfielders: Suresh Singh, Anirudh Thapa, Rohit Kumar, Sahal Abdul Samad, Brandon Fernandes, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Udanta Singh, Mahesh Singh Naorem, Liston Colaco, Nandhakumar Sekar, Apuia
Forwards: Sunil Chhetri, Manvir Singh.