Blue Tigers to play two friendlies against Tajikistan during June FIFA window
New Delhi, May 27
The Indian men's national team will play two friendly matches against Tajikistan on June 5 and 9, in Hisor, Tajikistan, during the FIFA International Match Window.
The Blue Tigers are currently in London to participate in the Unity Cup 2026, where they will face Jamaica in the semi-final on Wednesday, May 27, followed by a match against Nigeria or Zimbabwe in either the third-place play-off or final on May 30, according to the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
India will leave for Tajikistan from London on May 31. Both matches will take place at the Hisor Central Stadium and will kick off at 20:30 IST.
Just eight months ago, the Blue Tigers won the bronze medal in the CAFA Nations Cup at the same venue. En route to the podium finish on their debut appearance in the Central Asian regional tournament, India defeated Tajikistan 2-1, which was also Khalid Jamil's first match in charge of the Blue Tigers.
India's schedule during June's FIFA Men's International Match Window:
20:30 IST, June 5: Tajikistan vs India20:30 IST, June 9: Tajikistan vs India
Venue: Hisor Central Stadium, Hisor, Tajikistan.
Meanwhile, four more players have been included in the Indian men's national team squad for the Unity Cup 2026 in London, completing the final roster.
Midfielder Macarton Nickson and defender Nikhil Barla linked up with the team on Tuesday afternoon, while forwards Mohammed Sanan and Vikram Partap Singh will arrive in London on Wednesday morning. The semi-final against Jamaica will kick off at 19:30 BST (00:00 IST on Thursday).
Mohun Bagan SG recalled their players from the national team camp in Bengaluru only hours before their scheduled travel to the United Kingdom, which meant India had to fly with the remaining 17 players on Sunday. Goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari joined on Monday.
The visas for the four new additions were expedited by the AIFF on an urgent basis, ensuring India could have the players available for the first game of the Unity Cup.
India's final squad for Unity Cup 2026:
Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Hrithik Tiwari, Albino Gomes.
Defenders: Rahul Bheke, Nikhil Barla, Nikhil Poojary, Roshan Singh Naorem, Sandesh Jhingan, Akash Mishra, Bijoy Varghese, Pramveer.
Midfielders: Jeakson Singh Thounaojam, Macarton Nickson, Noufal PN, Ricky Shabong.
Forwards: Ryan Williams, Edmund Lalrindika, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Mohammed Sanan, Rahim Ali, Farukh Choudhary, Vikram Partap Singh.
Head coach: Khalid JamilAssistant coach: Mahesh GawaliGoalkeeping coach: Feroz SheriffStrength & conditioning coach: Manuel Dsouza
Unity Cup 2026 Schedule:Semi-final OneTuesday, May 26, 19:30 BST (00:00 IST, May 27): Nigeria v Zimbabwe
Semi-Final TwoWednesday, May 27, 19:30 BST (00:00 IST, May 28): Jamaica v India
Final and Third-place Play-offSaturday, May 30
Venue: The Valley, London.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally some sensible scheduling! This is exactly what Indian football needs - more matches against decent Asian teams. That 2-1 win over Tajikistan last year showed we can compete. But I'm concerned about the travel: London to Tajikistan in 2 days is going to be brutal on the players. Hope Khalid Jamil manages the squad rotation well. Also, where is Anwar Ali? He should be in this team. 😤
As a football fan from a small town in Maharashtra, I am thrilled to see Indian football getting these international exposures. The Unity Cup setup is smart - playing against Jamaica, and potentially Nigeria or Zimbabwe, adds valuable experience. But the Mohun Bagan SG pulling their players at the last minute because of club commitments is frustrating. The AIFF needs to have better coordination with ISL clubs. That said, proud of our boys! 👏⚽
I moved to India from the UK two years ago and I'm really impressed by the growth of Indian football. The schedule looks intense - back-to-back tournaments and then two friendlies against Tajikistan. That's a lot of matches in a short window. But I think it's great preparation. The CAFA Nations Cup bronze was historic, and playing against Central Asian teams is the right direction. Hope to see more games in Mumbai or Delhi soon! 🇮🇳❤️
I appreciate the effort to arrange these friendlies, but I have a critique: Why are we playing TWO matches against the same opponent in the same venue? That seems repetitive. We could have played one match against Tajikistan and another against a different Central Asian team like Kyrgyzstan or Turkmenistan to get more variety. And the squad selection is questionable - where are players like Brandon Fernandes and Udanta Singh? Need to manage player fatigue better, especially with the ISL season ending just a month ago. 🙏
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