Coach Igor Stimac shortlists 28 players for FIFA World Cup qualifiers in November


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