India Football Team: Igor Stimac names 23-man Squad for Qatar Clash

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India's senior men's team head coach Igor Stimac has revealed the 23-member squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup 2027 Preliminary Joint Qualification Round 2 match against Qatar.

The Blue Tigers will depart from Kolkata to Doha on Saturday evening and will take on the Asian Champions in the crucial match.

India will face the two-time Asian champions Qatar in their last Group A match on Tuesday (June 11) at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan. India's recent 0-0 draw with Kuwait on Thursday keeps them in the second spot with five points and a goal difference of -3.

Afghanistan, also with a 0-0 draw against Qatar, maintains third place with a goal difference of -10. Kuwait remains at the bottom with four points. Qatar has already secured their spot in the third round, leaving India, Afghanistan, and Kuwait vying for the second and final berth.

India must beat Qatar to advance, maintaining their goal-difference advantage over Afghanistan, who will face Kuwait on the same day. A draw may suffice if Afghanistan versus Kuwait also ends in a draw. A loss to Qatar, however, will end India's hopes of advancing, regardless of the other match's outcome.

The Indian football team will also be without their captain Sunil Chhetri for the first time in years as the striker retired from international football after the match against Kuwait.

India's 23-Member Squad