India vs Brazil scheduling dilemma: AIFF may field separate squads if Blue Tigers reach FIFA Asean Cup final

Ever since the All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced that the Indian football team will be hosting five-time champions Brazil in a FIFA friendly on 3 October 2026 at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata, one question dominated everyone's mind: how will head coach Khalid Jamil manage both the FIFA Asean Cup and the historic Brazil clash?

India are one of the participating teams in the inaugural FIFA Asean Cup to be held in Indonesia. Although the fixtures are yet to be announced, the tournament will start from 24 September, with the final to be played on 3 October — the same date for the India vs Brazil clash in Kolkata.

India are placed in Group A of the Premier Division, alongside Singapore, Malaysia and hosts Indonesia. The AIFF is considering fielding two separate teams for the FIFA Asean Cup and the game against Brazil simultaneously, provided the Blue Tigers reach the final in the continental showpiece.

“We have a pool of 40-50 players who are capable of representing the country,” Satyanarayan Muthyalu, AIFF Deputy Secretary General, told Livemint on Friday in a telephonic interaction. "We are going to the FIFA Asean Cup for the first time, and the Brazil game is also a big opportunity.

“We are going to discuss with Khalid (Jamil) and ensure that some players will be here (vs Brazil) and others will go there (FIFA Asean Cup). Last time, we went to the CAFA Cup, we did well,” added Muthyalu. A similar sort of situation happened recently, when head coach Jamil had to make as many as seven last-minute replacements during the Unity Cup in London.

Although India (138) are the third-best team in terms of FIFA Rankings in their group for the Asean Cup, there is a strong possibility that the Blue Tigers might qualify for the final. Indonesia (118) and Malaysia (136) are ahead of India in FIFA Rankings.

Muthyalu reiterated that a call will be made in the next one week, after a meeting with the head coach. “We might do well in the Asean Cup, and ensure there are enough star players…. That's again a call we will take, maybe in another one week, because all the players now have to start training with their Indian Super League teams.

"The idea is to do well in both the Asean Cup and the Brazil game,” he added.

The biggest match in Indian football

The India vs Brazil football match is the biggest in the history of Indian football. The fixture will mark the highest-ranked opposition India have faced since the FIFA World Ranking was introduced in 1992, with Brazil currently ranked fifth.

The FIFA friendly comes just a few months after Brazil's FIFA World Cup 2026 exit in the Round of 16 at the hands of Norway in a 1-2 defeat. Coached by Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil are set to field stars such as Marquinhos, Casemiro, Matheus Cunha and Vinicius Junior, to name a few.

“It is a big thing for Brazil to come because we will never ever get to play them. They will be coming with the current team, most of them played in the FIFA World Cup 2026, so it's a big thing for the Indian players,” Muthyalu added. Prior to the India game, Brazil will play Australia in two friendlies on 25 and 29 September in Townsville and Brisbane, respectively.

Will Kolkata see a Neymar farewell?

Having retired from international football after Brazil's 2026 World Cup exit, speculation is rife about Neymar's farewell game. India witnessed the farewell of legendary German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn when Bayern Munich played against Mohun Bagan at the same venue in 2008.

Asked if there are any plans for a Neymar farewell in Kolkata, Muthyalu chose not to divulge on that matter. "That has not yet come up so far. It is still in a very nascent stage. We will be speaking to them on various issues. As of now, that has not yet come up,” he added.