India To Participate In FIFA ASEAN Cup As Well As Brazil Friendly, AIFF Confirms | Football News

Last Updated:August 06, 2026, 20:36 IST

Indian football team to play both FIFA ASEAN Cup and Brazil friendly. AIFF confirms separate teams for each, despite financial concerns.

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Indian men’s football team (AIFF)

Hours after reports stated that the Indian men’s football team might withdraw from the upcoming FIFA ASEAN Cup due to a clash with the friendly against Brazil, the All India Football Federation confirmed that the team will take part in both, even as the final day of the FIFA tournament coincides with the friendly.

Reports had earlier claimed that due to the clash and FIFA’s refusal to allow India to field a second-string team for the ASEAN Cup, India might pull out of the tournament.

But after the executive committee meeting of the federation on Thursday, it was decided otherwise.

The Executive Committee viewed the game against Brazil, scheduled during the International Match Window, as a rare chance for Indian players to gain valuable experience against one of the world’s top footballing countries.

The AIFF will inform FIFA that India will take part in both competitions, with separate teams being selected for the game against Brazil and the FIFA ASEAN Cup.

During the Executive Committee meeting, former India skipper Bhaichung Bhutia requested the AIFF to prioritise the FIFA ASEAN Cup instead.

“I suggested that we prioritise the FIFA ASEAN Cup because of the competitive value it brings. There are higher-ranked teams than India in the tournament, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam,” Bhutia said while speaking to The Times of India. 

“Worth also bearing in mind that the India versus Brazil friendly will cost the AIFF money that it does not have. Even if there is only a small fee, which can later be recovered through a third party, there is still a risk,” Bhutia added.

The AIFF, which depended on the Rs 50 crore annual payment from FSDL for the ISL, can no longer rely on that revenue after the agreement expired in December 2025. As a result, managing its finances has become even more crucial for the governing body.

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