The Indian women’s national football team are set to make history in Kolkata, with the Blue Tigresses scheduled to face Russia in two international friendly matches during the FIFA Women’s International Match Window in October 2026.
The two matches will be played at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan on October 8 and 11, marking the first-ever international matches for the Indian women’s national team in Kolkata.
India currently occupy 69th position in the FIFA Women’s World Ranking, while Russia are ranked 27th.
The upcoming fixtures will also bring the Indian women’s team back to West Bengal after a decade. Their previous appearance in the state came during the 2016 SAFF Women’s Championship in Siliguri, where India went on to win the title. It remains the only previous occasion when the senior Indian women’s national team played in West Bengal.
Russia have also previously visited India, travelling to Chennai in 1994 for the eight-nation Jayalalitha Cup. India were eliminated during the group stage, while Russia, competing in a different group, finished the tournament as runners-up.
The October fixtures will be the third and fourth international meetings between India and Russia. Their first two encounters were played at neutral venues.
India suffered an 0-8 defeat against Russia at the Turkish Women’s Cup in 2021 before losing 0-2 at the Pink Ladies Cup in the UAE in 2025.
The two Kolkata friendlies will therefore provide India with an important opportunity to test themselves against a higher-ranked Russian side while also giving the Blue Tigresses a long-awaited return to West Bengal.
Picture Courtesy: AIFF Media
