Indian Football Team full Schedule with Asian Games 2023, World Cup 2026 qualifiers

The Indian Football squad will have a busy year in 2023, with numerous events planned throughout the year. The Blue Tigers’ schedule until the AFC Asian Cup 2023 in January is fairly hectic, with the team appearing in a variety of events. From the Asian Games 2023 to the King’s Cup in September, to the Merdeka Cup. They will also compete in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers as well as the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers.

Also Read: India’s Merdeka Cup fixtures revealed, Blue Tigers face host Malaysia

September 6-12: AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024 Qualifiers (Dalian, China PR)

Having recently been named the AIFF Men’s Coach of the Year, Clifford Miranda will now hope to secure India’s first-ever ticket to the AFC U23 Asian Cup. The preparatory camp consisting of 28 probables will begin in Bhubaneswar on August 20.

After the opening fixture against neighbours Maldives at the Dalian Sports Centre Stadium, the task will get significantly tougher with hosts China PR and the UAE in the final two games of Group G. The group winners and four best runners-up across 11 groups will make up the cast of 16 at the final tournament in Qatar next year, which also acts as the AFC qualifiers for the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament Paris 2024.

India’s fixtures at the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers:

September 6: India vs Maldives (Time TBD, Dalian)
September 9: China PR vs India (Time TBD, Dalian)
September 12: UAE vs India (Time TBD, Dalian)

September 7-10: 49th King’s Cup (Chiang Mai, Thailand)

The first half of 2023 was a glorious one for the Indian senior men’s team, who emerged champions of all three competitions they participated in. Eager to replicate their fine form in foreign soil, Igor Stimac’s side will land in northern Thailand to take part in the 49th King’s Cup during FIFA’s September international match window.

The Blue Tigers, who won bronze the last time they played the King’s Cup in 2019, which was also Stimac’s debut tournament, will be joined by Iraq, Lebanon and hosts Thailand in the 2023 edition. The tournament, the draw for which is yet to be confirmed, will be conducted in a knockout format, with the semi-finals taking place on September 7, and the third-place match and the final scheduled for September 10.

India’s fixtures at the 49th King’s Cup:

September 7: India vs TBD – Semi-final (16:00 or 19:00 IST, Chiang Mai)
September 10: India vs TBD – Third-place Play-off or Final (16:00 or 19:00 IST, Chiang Mai)

September 19-October 7: 19th Asian Games (Hangzhou, China)

India’s much-anticipated Asian Games football campaign will get underway with the men’s team’s high-profile clash against hosts China at the Huanglong Sports Centre Stadium on September 19, four days before the opening ceremony. Indian football teams will be competing in the continental quadrennial event for the first time since Incheon 2014.

Men’s head coach Igor Stimac has named a strong squad for the Asian Games, with Chhetri, Jhingan and Sandhu the highlights among a vibrant group of U23 boys. Bangladesh and Myanmar are the men’s other two opponents as they will hope to qualify for the round of 16 as the group winners or one of the four best runners-up.

The Indian women’s team have already begun their preparations for the Asian Games under head coach Thomas Dennerby in Bhubaneswar from the first week of August. The Blue Tigresses have been drawn in a three-team Group B alongside Thailand and Chinese Taipei and will play their matches in Wenzhou, a city situated 300 kilometres from Hangzhou. The group winners and three best runners-up will make it to the last eight.

India’s fixtures at the 19th Asian Games:

September 19: China vs India – Men’s Group A (17:00 IST, Hangzhou)
September 21: India vs Bangladesh – Men’s Group A (13:30 IST, Xiaoshan)
September 21: Chinese Taipei vs India – Women’s Group B (17:00 IST, Wenzhou)
September 24: Myanmar vs India – Men’s Group A (17:00 IST, Xiaoshan)
September 24: India vs Thailand – Women’s Group B (17:00 IST, Wenzhou)
September 27 or 28: Men’s Round of 16
September 30: Women’s Quarter-final
October 1: Men’s Quarter-final
October 3: Women’s Semi-final
October 4: Men’s Semi-final
October 6: Women’s Gold/Bronze medal match
October 7: Men’s Gold/Bronze medal match

October 13-October 17: Merdeka Cup

The Indian football team has been drawn to compete against Malaysia in the Merdeka Cup Tournament in 2023. On Tuesday, August 8, 2023, FA Malaysia hosted the draw. The Football Association of Malaysia has planned the 42nd Merdeka Cup for October 2023. Four teams will compete: India, Lebanon, Palestine, and Malaysia.

The match will take place on October 13, 2023, at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur. Furthermore, the other semi-final, which will take place earlier that day, will play Palestine against Lebanon. On October 17, the semi-finalists will compete in the final. In a play-off, the two losing clubs will compete for third place.

Indian’s Fixtures at the Merdeka Cup:

Palestine vs Lebanon (14:00 IST, October 13, 2023)
Malaysia vs India (18:30 IST, October 13, 2023)
Third-place play-off (14:00 IST, October 17, 2023)
Final (18:30 IST, October 17, 2023)

16th November to 21st November: FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers First Leg

Sunil Chhetri’s Indian football team has been assigned to Group A, alongside Asian champion Qatar and Kuwait. The group will also include the winner of the match between Afghanistan and Mongolia. India will begin their campaign against Kuwait on November 16th. India, rated 99th in FIFA, will face Qatar (59th) and Kuwait (137th) in Pot 2 of the Qualifiers. Along with the victors of the home-and-away double round-robin match between Afghanistan (157th) and Mongolia (183rd).

Indian’s Fixtures at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers First Leg