The Indian national football team will not participate in the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup, with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) opting to prioritise its highly anticipated international friendly against five-time FIFA World Cup champions Brazil on October 3 in Kolkata.
AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey confirmed the decision, pointing to India’s existing commitment to the Brazil Football Federation and the congested schedule during the September 21–October 6 FIFA international window.
India had been placed in a group featuring Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, with the tournament scheduled to commence on September 24. The group winners were expected to advance to the Division 1 final on October 3 — the same day India is scheduled to face Brazil.
According to Chaubey, India have already faced Singapore and Malaysia several times in recent years, while the opportunity to host a football powerhouse like Brazil is far less frequent. The AIFF therefore believes the Brazil fixture offers a greater sporting opportunity for the national team.
With the ASEAN Cup no longer part of India’s September-October plans, the federation is looking to make the most of the international window by arranging two more friendlies against higher-ranked opponents alongside the Brazil match.
The opponents for those fixtures are yet to be announced, but India’s plans underline an ambitious approach — testing the Blue Tigers against stronger opposition and using the international window to gain valuable experience at the highest level.
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Picture Courtesy: AIFF Media
