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"VAN" (Sports Desk - 07.09.2026) :: Should India, ranked 138 on the FIFA list, play Indonesia (118), Malaysia (136), and Singapore (148) in the FIFA Asean Cup between Sept 24 and Oct 6, 2026 or should India play the International Friendlies against Panama (44), Brazil (5) and Uruguay (20) in between the same dates?
Well, for the All India Football Federation President Kalyan Choubey and Secretary General M. Satyanarayan, it was a virtual toss-up. But this was a different kind of toss. As the coin went up and landed silently on the grass below, Choubey said, “Heads I win, tails you lose”. Heads it was and Choubey and Satyanarayan chose to withdraw from the Asean Cup and pit India ‘heads-on’ against the three 2026 World Cup sides - Panama, Brazil and Uruguay in that order.
India play Panama on Sept 25 in Bengaluru and then take on Brazil on Oct 3 and Uruguay on Oct 6, both, in Kolkata.
RAISED EYEBROWS Quite naturally, eyes and mouths opened wide in the country. The decision flabbergasted many. Play Asean and earn appearance money rather than spend millions and get beaten by Panama, Brazil and Uruguay was the reasoning.
Those wanting India to play in the Asean Cup perhaps, overlooked one aspect. Yes, India cannot defeat Panama, Brazil or Uruguay. But can India defeat Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore either? This question has somehow been overlooked by the ‘for Asean’ brigade.
In the present context, the Indian team has struggled to defeat or even lost to South Asian nations like Maldives, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal. So losing to Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore becomes as much of a foregone conclusion as the results against the three ‘big teams’.
INITIAL PROPOSALS FIFA turned down proposals to field two teams from India - one for Asean and another for the friendlies. It would be far more respectable to lose to Panama, Brazil and Uruguay rather than get embarrassed after losing to the three Asean nations should they have opted to play in Indonesia. Consequently, facing the mighty nations of the football world became inevitable and Choubey’s decision was indeed arguably justified.
Top nations have visited India earlier too. Uruguay played in the 1982 and Argentina in 1984 Nehru International Gold Cup in Kolkata. The likes of Uruguay, Poland, Hungary, Yugoslavia and the erstwhile Soviet Union were all there.
SUPER SOCCER SERIES Champion clubs like FC Bochum of Germany, Brazil’s Sao Paulo Juniors and Sao Paulo Seniors as also PSV Eindhoven toured India as part of the Super Soccer Series. In fact, India held Sao Paulo Seniors to a 2-2 draw in Bengaluru at the overflowing Chinnaswamy Stadium.
But India’s senior national team is taking on Brazil’s senior national side for the first time ever. So too Panama. India lost 1-3 to Uruguay in the inaugural Nehru Cup which Uruguay went on to win. That was the only time they faced the two-time World Cup winners.
IMMENSE EXPOSURE The exposure and experience the players will get is immense. Having watched the three teams on television during their World Cup matches, the Indians are very familiar with the players and their abilities. Millions of fans will have the opportunity of witnessing some riveting displays right in front of them. Football in the country will receive a massive boost. Therefore, the advantages of playing them are manifold.
The disadvantages? Well, one must say none. The disadvantage is evident even before a ball is kicked when the rankings are compared. Should India be able to keep the margins down, if nothing better, it would be a commendable show.
RIGHT DECISION Given the stature of Brazil and Uruguay, if not Panama, in world football, thousands are bound to queue up for tickets no matter what the price. Despite being under tremendous stress, the AIFF has made the right decision in wanting to play against the heavyweights rather than take on the lightweights. As they say, if you are afraid to lose, you can never win.
On the back of a properly organised National Football League, India defeated a strong United Arab Emirates 1-0 in the 2002 World Cup qualifiers in Bengaluru. Under Croatia’s legendary World Cupper and coach Igor Stimac, India won the 2023 SAFF Championship, also in Bengaluru.
In the present scenario, the league system is yet to be properly established. Unless a strong domestic structure is in place, such friendlies could make little or no impact. Yes, its entertainment value is tremendous.
Cr - AIPS
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