India seems to be exposing itself to a new atmosphere of world games today. The Men’s Futsal team will be facing the host nation in their first international debut match in Bahrain. Bahrain has been quite an experienced team in this sport. Our Indian Futsal squad will be having two friendly matches with Bahrain on the 12th and the 14th of August. The first match will be shown today, at 8:30 pm IST.

Futsal has been a new sport for India and for the All India Football Federation where the organisation has seen signs of improvement, development and major opportunities. Bahrain has been playing this sport for a long time, the Gulf nation caught the eye of the viewers in this game when they qualified for the Asian Futsal Championship in 2002. Later the team carried experience and recently qualified for the AFC Asian Cup which took place in 2018 and 2022. Tackling with a team like Bahrain and even at an international level is an achievement in itself that will give the Indian team some major tips and tricks for the upcoming Asian Futsal Championship Qualifiers which will take place from October 7th to 11th.

India is carrying a 14-member squad with themselves for these friendly matches which will be conducted in Bahrain. Moreover, this match will help India to get an outer perspective which will also help them in October when the team will be facing teams like Myanmar and Palestine in Tajikistan during the AFC Qualifiers. A closer view of the Indian Men’s futsal team stands like; Goalkeepers: Augustine D’Mello, Jagdish Tokas; Anchors: Sachin Patil, Sandeep Oraw, Aman Shah, Jayesh Sutar, Kashinath Rathod, Rajneesh; Wingers: Nikhil Mali, Shamshad Ali, Abhay Gurung, Bijoy Gusai; Pivot: David Laltlansanga, Sandesh Malpote and Head Coach: Joshuah Stan Vaz

All these players have been chosen based on the Futsal Club Championship which happened earlier this year. The players and the staff have been in practice sessions for the past four days.

Vaz, who is a 33-year-old coach and has played in the I-League earlier gaining experience of around 10 years shared his thoughts while talking to AIFF, said, “This will be a historic moment for everyone who has been working for the correct form of futsal to be played. We never gave up on the dream that AIFF will one day take up futsal,” said Vaz to the-aiff.com. “There have been a few private competitions and naysayers, but we stuck to the resolve that we will grow futsal through the correct channels, through AIFF.” He further added, “The AIFF is doing a great job with the club championship, and now I hear that there are plans to make it a longer league. If we can take futsal across India, I think the interest in the sport will also grow exponentially and create a lot of job opportunities,” he said. “I would like to thank Mr. Kalyan Chaubey (AIFF President), Dr Shaji Prabhakaran (AIFF Secretary General), Mr Vijay Bali (AIFF Executive Committee Member), and Mr Ranjit Bajaj (Team Manager) for taking an active interest in the sport and helping us take the baby steps towards making this big.” praising AIFF’s effort.

The team left from Amritsar on 10th August. Further, the coach thanked the audience and reminded the Indians living in Bahrain by stating, “I would like to thank all the fans who came to welcome us at the Bahrain International Airport. I look forward to seeing all of you in big numbers to back the boys in blue tomorrow.” while speaking with AIFF.