Harpal Singh Bedi / New Delhi
Head coach of Indian football team Igor Stimac, on Friday shortlisted 28 players for the first two matches of Round 2 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Preliminary Joint Qualification.
The Blue Tigers are set to face Kuwait in their opening Group A fixture at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait City on Thursday, November 16 , before returning home to take on Qatar at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday, November 21 .
India will travel to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on November 8 for a preparatory camp before the qualifiers.
The probables;
Goalkeepers: Amrinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Vishal Kaith.
Defenders: Akash Mishra, Lalchungnunga, Mehtab Singh, Nikhil Poojary, Rahul Bheke, Roshan Singh Naorem, Sandesh Jhingan, Subhasish Bose.
Midfielders: Anirudh Thapa, Brandon Fernandes, Glan Peter Martins, Lalengmawia, Liston Colaco, Mahesh Singh Naorem, Nandhakumar Sekar, Rohit Kumar, Sahal Abdul Samad, Suresh Singh Wangjam, Udanta Singh Kumam.
Forwards: Ishan Pandita, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Manvir Singh, Rahul Kannoly Praveen, Sunil Chhetri, Vikram Partap Singh