NEW DELHI, Aug 14: India have withdrawn from the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup and will instead prioritise their highly anticipated international friendly against Brazil in October, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has confirmed.
India had been invited as one of the guest teams for the new competition and were drawn alongside Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. However, the AIFF decided that participating in the tournament would create a scheduling conflict with the Brazil fixture.
The Brazil match is scheduled to take place in Kolkata on October 3 and is being viewed as a major opportunity for Indian footballers to test themselves against one of the world’s most decorated national teams.
AIFF deputy secretary general M Satyanarayanan said India could not realistically participate in both competitions because of the overlapping calendar. The federation therefore opted to give priority to the Brazil encounter.
The ASEAN Cup is scheduled to run from September 21 to October 6, creating a clash with India’s preparations for the October fixture. The decision means the Indian team will miss the opportunity to compete in the inaugural edition of the regional tournament.
The choice reflects India’s focus on securing high profile international exposure against stronger opposition. Brazil, a five-time FIFA World Cup winner, provides a significantly tougher challenge and could offer Indian players valuable experience ahead of future international assignments.
The October fixture in Kolkata is consequently expected to attract considerable attention, with Indian football fans set to witness the national team take on one of the biggest names in world football.