Indian Football Team To Play Both Brazil Friendly And FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026; AIFF To Field 2 Separate Squads

· Free Press Journal

New Delhi, August 6: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Thursday confirmed that India will participate in both the high-profile international friendly against Brazil and the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 by fielding two separate squads.

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The decision was taken during the AIFF Executive Committee meeting held at the Football House in New Delhi under the chairmanship of AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey.

Earlier, there were reports that India could withdraw from the FIFA ASEAN Cup due to a scheduling clash with the Brazil match. However, the AIFF has now put an end to the speculation by deciding to compete in both tournaments.

Two Squads For Two Competitions

India will face five-time FIFA World Cup champions Brazil in an international friendly in Kolkata on October 3, 2026. At the same time, the FIFA ASEAN Cup will be held in Indonesia from September 24 to October 3.

To ensure participation in both events, the AIFF will send separate squads for each competition and will formally inform FIFA about the decision.

The federation said the match against Brazil is a rare opportunity for Indian players to test themselves against one of the strongest teams in world football. The game will also be played during the FIFA international window.

India Likely To Miss FIFA ASEAN Cup As Historic Brazil Friendly Forces AIFF Into Tough Choice: Report

The Executive Committee also approved the AIFF's budget for the 2026-27 financial year and discussed steps needed to comply with the National Sports Governance Act, 2025. Member Associations whose elections are due this year have been asked to complete the required compliance process by October 20, 2026.

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