Football: India to Face Brazil in Kolkata International Friendly in October
by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath
India Set to Host Five-Time World Champions in 2026
In a massive step forward for Indian football, the All India Football Federation have confirmed that the Brazil men’s national team will face India in an international friendly on October 3 in Kolkata, and we will be covering the marquee event in our football predictions.
The clash will also mark a historic milestone for Indian football. La Seleção, currently placed fifth in the World Rankings, will be the highest-ranked team India have faced since the introduction of the global rankings system in 1992. The official announcement from the AIFF read:
The Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan (also known as Salt Lake Stadium) has been selected as the venue to host the momentous clash. Kolkata boasts one of the most passionate fan bases for the South American giants as seen during the 2026 World Cup.
Kolkata has witnessed iconic football moments before. In 1977, Pelé graced Eden Gardens as he led the New York Cosmos against Mohun Bagan in an exhibition match, and the legacy continued in 2008 when Bayern Munich faced the Green and Maroon Brigade in the same city.
Brazil will arrive in India after completing a two-match friendly series against Australia, with fixtures scheduled for September 25 and 29. The clash in Kolkata will bring the Seleção's first international window following the 2026 World Cup to a close.
AIFF Confirm Squad Decision for Brazil Friendly and ASEAN Cup
Shortly after announcing the date of the international friendly, the AIFF confirmed that the Indian national team will feature two separate squads for the match against Brazil and the inaugural ASEAN Cup in an attempt to deal with the scheduling conflict.
The ASEAN Cup has been launched to offer Southeast Asian nations a more competitive platform. As part of the inaugural edition this year, India, Hong Kong, and China were invited to participate alongside the ASEAN countries, but China opted to turn down the invitation.
The Blue Tigers have been placed in a competitive Group A alongside Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. The tournament is expected to provide India with valuable match practice against quality opposition as they build toward future AFC competitions.
