Khalid Jamil Names 26-Player Indian Football Squad for Friendlies Against Panama, Brazil, and Uruguay
Indian men's national football team head coach Khalid Jamil has named a 26-player squad for the upcoming September-October FIFA international match window. The Blue Tigers are scheduled to play three high-profile international friendlies against teams that competed in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, starting with a match against Panama on September 26 at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. Following the opener, the team will travel to Kolkata to face five-time world champions Brazil on October 3 and two-time world champions Uruguay on October 6 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan.
The selected squad features experienced goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu alongside Albino Gomes, Prabhsukhan Singh Gill, and Som Kumar. The defensive lineup includes Akash Mishra, Anwar Ali, Jay Gupta, and Ricky Meetei Haobam, while the midfield features Anirudh Thapa, Sahal Abdul Samad, Ashique Kuruniyan, and Lalengmawia Ralte. Up front, the attack will be led by Manvir Singh, Ryan Williams, Rahim Ali, Vikram Partap Singh, Edmund Lalrindika, and Irfan Yadwad. Additionally, four reserve players—Hrithik Tiwari, Chinglensana Singh Konsham, Roshan Singh Naorem, and Suresh Singh Wangjam—have been named on standby.
India's preparatory camp will commence on September 14 in Bengaluru before the squad shifts base to Kolkata on September 28. Facing top-ranked sides like Brazil (5th), Uruguay (20th), and Panama (44th) offers India (138th) an essential opportunity to gain competitive international exposure and test squad depth against world-class opposition.
