India has withdrawn from the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup, choosing instead to prioritise its high-profile international friendly against five-time world champion Brazil in October, All India Football Federation (AIFF) deputy secretary general M Satyanarayanan said on Thursday.
The withdrawal means India will also miss out on the chance to test itself against some of Southeast Asia's leading sides in a FIFA-sanctioned competition.
“We have pulled out of the FIFA ASEAN Cup since we can't play both Brazil and FIFA ASEAN Cup,” Satyanarayanan told PTI.
ALSO READ | Here We Go! India To Take On Five-Time World Champions Brazil In Historic Friendly — Check Date, Venue
A New Tournament, An Early Exit
The inaugural ASEAN Cup was conceived as a new international competition for teams from the ASEAN region. The ASEAN region comprises 11 Southeast Asian nations, with the tournament including all the countries - Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, and Timor-Leste.
India were invited to take part as one of the non-ASEAN participants. The AIFF had initially accepted FIFA's invitation and was subsequently drawn in Division 1 Group A alongside Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
The tournament is scheduled to be played during the Sept. 21-Oct. 6 FIFA international window. However, the ASEAN Cup schedule ended up clashing with India's commitment to play Brazil on Oct. 3 at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
The AIFF decided to withdraw completely and use the international window for friendlies instead of fielding a separate or developmental squad for the competition, despite having previously considered doing so.
The Brazil fixture was officially announced last month.
ALSO READ | East Bengal Complete Stunning Comeback To Beat Al Arabi 4-1, Reach AFC Champions League Two Group Stage
More Friendlies Against World Cup Teams In The Works
Meanwhile, reports on Thursday suggested that India is also exploring friendlies against teams that featured at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Cabo Verde and Iran among the sides under discussion. These fixtures, however, are yet to be officially confirmed by the AIFF.
The AIFF's decision to pull out marks a notable shift from its stance earlier this year, when it had accepted FIFA's invitation and gone on to sign the participation agreement for the tournament.
India, which didn't qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, has struggled in recent years to secure regular high-quality opposition to face, a gap the federation now appears to be trying to address through marquee friendlies rather than regional tournament football.
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
