India brace for Brazil, Uruguay and Panama Tests as Khalid Jamil names 26-man squad

India are set for a tough September-October period in FIFA, with Khalid Jamil naming a 26-man squad for three friendlies against World Cup opponents. The Blue Tigers will face Panama, Brazil and Uruguay in rare high-profile fixtures.

The campaign against Panama begins on September 26 at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. Ranked 44th in the world, Panama featured in the 2026 FIFA World Cup and will provide India with a stern opening test. It will also be the first ever meeting between the two nations.

Jamil’s team will assemble in Bengaluru from September 14, giving the players nearly two weeks to prepare before the Panama match. After this match, India will travel to Kolkata on September 28 for two marquee matches.

The biggest challenge awaits on October 3 when India take on five-time world champions Brazil at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan. The Blue Tigers will then face another heavyweight, two-time world champions Uruguay, at the same venue on October 6. All three opponents featured in the 2026 World Cup.

The twenty-six-member squad includes four goalkeepers, eight defenders, eight midfielders and six forwards. There are experienced names like Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Anirudh Thapa, Anwar Ali and Manvir Singh, Ryan Williams is also part of the attacking group.

For Jamil, the window offers an opportunity to assess his team against significantly stronger opposition. With India rarely getting a chance to face the likes of Brazil and Uruguay, these three matches could provide valuable exposure while giving the coach a clearer picture of his team’s level against World Cup-caliber opponents.

The schedule is also part of a wider effort to give India more exposure against top international teams. AIFF officials described the match in Panama as an important test ahead of the match against Brazil, with the Central American side’s top 50 ranking adding further significance to the opening encounter.

India squad for matches against Uruguay, Panama and Brazil

GoalkeepersCast: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Albino Gomes, Som Kumar, Prabhsukhan Singh Gill

Defenders: Akash Mishra, Abhishek Singh Tekcham, Bijoy Varghese, Anwar Ali, Jay Gupta, Hmingthanmawia Ralte, Pramveer, Ricky Meetei Haobam

Reserves: Macarton Nickson, Ashique Kuruniyan, Farukh Choudhary, Anirudh Thapa, Lalengmawia Ralte, Sahal Abdul Samad, Mohammed Sanan, Ricky Shabong

Attackers: Irfan Yadwad, Edmund Lalrindika, Rahim Ali, Manvir Singh, Ryan Williams, Vikram Partap Singh

India Match Schedule

September 26: India vs Panama – Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru

October 3rd: India vs Brazil — Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata

October 6: India vs Uruguay — Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Calcutta

– The end

Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

01 Sep 2026 0:49 IST