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India have faced difficulties in securing regular high-quality international opposition in recent years.
The match against Brazil was officially announced last month. (PTI Photo)
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) deputy secretary general M Satyanarayanan on Thursday said India have withdrawn from the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup as they look to prioritise their high-profile international friendly against five-time world champions Brazil in October. The decision means India will not feature in the new FIFA-sanctioned competition and will miss the chance to take on some of Southeast Asia’s leading teams.
“We have pulled out of the FIFA ASEAN Cup since we can’t play both Brazil and FIFA ASEAN Cup,” Satyanarayanan told news agency PTI.
The FIFA ASEAN Cup was introduced as a new international tournament for teams from the ASEAN region, with India invited as one of the non-ASEAN participants.
India had initially agreed to FIFA’s invitation before being placed in Division 1 Group A alongside Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. The tournament is scheduled to take place during the September 21-October 6 FIFA international window.
However, India’s confirmed fixture against Brazil on October 3 at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium resulted in a scheduling conflict.
The AIFF had previously considered sending a separate or developmental squad to compete in the ASEAN Cup while the senior side prepared for Brazil. The federation has now decided to withdraw from the tournament and instead use the international window to arrange friendly matches.
The Brazil fixture was officially announced last month.
India are also reportedly looking at friendlies against teams that participated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Cabo Verde and Iran are among the teams being considered, although the AIFF has not officially confirmed either fixture.
The withdrawal represents a reversal of the federation’s earlier plans. India had accepted FIFA’s invitation earlier this year and subsequently signed the participation agreement for the tournament.
The national team, which failed to qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, has faced difficulties in securing regular high-quality international opposition in recent years.
Only one bid received for ISL media rights
Meanwhile, only one bid has reportedly been submitted for the media rights of the Indian Super League, which is scheduled to begin on September 4. The extended deadline for submitting bids ended on August 12.
As per PTI, the sole bidder is a digital streaming platform that does not have a linear television channel.
The development leaves the AIFF and ISL clubs with a key decision to make, as a linear television broadcast is expected to be important for maintaining fan access to the country’s top-tier league.
During the 2025-26 ISL season, media rights holder FanCode sub-licensed the linear television broadcast rights to Sony Pictures Networks India while retaining the exclusive digital streaming rights.
The AIFF issued the RFP (Request for Proposal) for the 2026-27 ISL media rights on July 25. The move followed an agreement between the federation and participating teams to adopt a club-led model for two years, with an option to extend it to four, while the AIFF retains responsibility for administrative and core regulatory functions.
With PTI Inputs
Key Questions Answered
Ask News18India could secure more high-profile friendlies soon, as the All India Football Federation (AIFF) is exploring matches against teams that participated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, such as Cabo Verde and Iran.
Ask News18About the Author
Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience …Read More
August 13, 2026, 18:13 IST
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