The All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced the withdrawal of its national team from the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026, a tournament organized by FIFA for the first time, featuring Southeast Asian teams and invited guests from outside the region. The decision was made on 12/8, primarily due to a scheduling conflict with a friendly match between India and Brazil in Kolkata on 3/10.

"We cannot participate in the FIFA ASEAN Cup due to our commitment to the Brazilian Football Confederation", AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey told the Times of India. "The AIFF has informed FIFA of this decision, explaining the scheduling issues".

Nguyen Van Toan during Vietnam's friendly match against India at Thien Truong Stadium on 12/10/2024. *Photo: Lam Thoa*

The FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 is scheduled to take place from 24/9 to 4/10, during the FIFA Days window. India was placed in group A, first tier, alongside hosts Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. The first-tier final was also scheduled for 3/10, coinciding with India's match against Brazil. According to Indian media, the AIFF spent approximately 7 million USD to invite Brazil. This contract stipulates that the South American representative must field its strongest squad.

This was a key reason why the AIFF was forced to choose. Chaubey stated that national teams can play a maximum of four matches during the aforementioned FIFA Days period. Participating deeply in the ASEAN Cup would make it difficult for India to ensure preparation for the Brazil match, which the AIFF considers a special event for the country's football.

"Over the past three years, India has faced Singapore and Malaysia four times, and there may be future opportunities to play them", he said. "But Brazil rarely appears, perhaps only once in a lifetime for Indian players".

Brazil is the most successful team in the World Cup, having won five titles. The AIFF views the South American team's agreement to play in India as a rare opportunity to promote football and attract interest from domestic fans.

Fans watching the Argentina - Algeria match in World Cup 2026 group J on a screen in Kolkata, India, on the morning of 17/6. *Photo: Reuters*

This is India's first confirmed friendly match during the upcoming FIFA Days, but the AIFF is seeking two more high-quality opponents. Chaubey stated that potential opponents all have higher FIFA rankings than India, but their identities cannot be disclosed as negotiations remain confidential.

"The FIFA ASEAN Cup is important and generates significant interest. We will miss this tournament, but we will make the best use of the FIFA Days so India can play two more friendly matches against quality, higher-ranked opponents", Chaubey continued. "We can learn a lot from such challenging matches".

India was one of three invited guests for the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026, alongside Hong Kong and Pakistan. The South Asian team was drawn into the same group as three Southeast Asian representatives: Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. India's withdrawal will therefore necessitate adjustments to the group stage and tournament schedule.

The Vietnam national team is in group B, first tier, along with Pakistan, Thailand, and the Philippines. Vietnam holds the second highest FIFA ranking in the tournament, at 99th, after Thailand (94th), according to the FIFA rankings for july 2026. India (138th), meanwhile, ranks sixth, behind Indonesia (118th), the Philippines (135th), and Malaysia (136th).

This decision could also expose the AIFF to potential penalties from FIFA. According to Article 5.2 of the FIFA ASEAN Cup regulations, a member association withdrawing from the tournament no later than 30 days before its first match may be fined at least 15,000 Swiss francs by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, equivalent to approximately 18,000 USD.

However, the AIFF believes India can avoid sanctions after explaining the circumstances to FIFA. Federation officials sent a detailed email to FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom, outlining reasons related to scheduling and their commitment to the Brazilian Football Confederation.

Xuan Binh (according to Times of India)