India vs Panama is a friendly match for fans. But where are the fans?
Walk around the Sree Kanteerava Stadium the day before an Indian football match and you would normally expect to feel the buzz around. A few jerseys, fans talking about the team, maybe someone is already making plans for the evening. However, there were almost none on Thursday.
India are back in Bengaluru for the first time since their 2023 SAFF Championship triumph at this very stadium. This time they return with Panama at the World Cup as opposition, but the match had not yet fully ignited in the city.
Many conversations have instead revolved around the cost of attendance and whether these high-profile friendlies are a good use of Indian football’s resources. Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia’s call to boycott the friendly against Brazil only added to the debate as it grew as much about the wider state of the game as football itself.
Standing in front of Kanteerava was Girish with his Indian jerseys. It’s the only retailer with a proper setup outside the stadium, and on the eve of an international tournament, that should usually mean a steady stream of supporters stopping by for a shirt. There wasn’t much on Thursday. There isn’t much hype for the friendly match between India and Panama yet. (Image: Debodinna Chakraborty/ India Today)
“Honestly, there wasn’t much hype around this match. I’m selling India jerseys outside the stadium but you don’t really feel like there’s an India international tomorrow. I’m not even planning to go to the match. I’m thinking of going straight to Thiruvananthapuram for the West Indies ODI series.”
He expects some people to come to the game, but his own decision tells you something about the mood. Even someone whose business depends on Indian fans is not convinced there is enough excitement around the game.
SUPPORTER WHO CAME TO TRAINING
A short distance away was another version of the same story.
Johnathan Murray is a student at St Joseph’s College, a Bengaluru FC fan and part of the North End Blues fan group. He wanted to watch India, but instead of buying a match ticket, he snuck out of college to watch the team practice.
It was still worth it to him. He had the opportunity to see the players he is watching up close, even though he would not be inside Kanteerava when India take on Panama.
“It’s not possible for Indian football fans like us to pay that much for matches. We are used to paying Rs 300 maximum for ISL matches, so when lower category tickets alone cost Rs 850, it hurts. But what can we do? At least I came here to watch them practice.” Entrance to Sri Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. (Image: Debodinna Chakraborty/ India Today)
The ticket structure has become a talking point among Bengaluru fans, with the standard categories listed from around Rs 849 to Rs 999, Rs 1,499, Rs 1,999 and premium sections priced higher. West Block, the famous home of FC Bengaluru’s loudest supporters, was also significantly higher than what many fans are used to paying for the club’s matches.
Johnathan’s friends wanted to come too. After discussing costs, they ultimately decided against it. The prices for friendly IND vs PAN, especially the western bloc, are sky high. (Image: Screengrab from X/@WestBlockBlues)
“Even my friends who really wanted to come were sad about it. They were all talking about coming to the game, but now they’re just trying to move on.”
This is probably the most interesting part of the story. There are fans who want to be around the national team, but there is a point where that enthusiasm meets reality.
And the players themselves have been trying to make Bengaluru turn up. Akash Mishra, who is part of the squad for this run of friendlies, urged the fans to come and support the team.
The responses were less about disinterest and more about price.
The West Block Blues pointed to a ticket for their stand at 2,999 rupees, while other supporters questioned paying around 1,000 rupees for a North Lower seat after charges. For fans who were used to paying much less to watch Bengaluru FC, the message was pretty clear. They want to be there, but the numbers make that decision much harder. Fans are not happy with India vs Panama ticket prices. (Image: Screengrab from X/@menonkid)
THE MATCH IS A MUST SEE
Another issue is visibility.
The AIFF promotes the FIFA window on its social media platforms, but this naturally reaches people who are already looking for Indian football. As we walked around Bengaluru, the match did not have much of a presence outside the immediate area of the stadium. The first hoarding I came across was outside Kanteerava itself.
With a match involving a World Cup side, there was an opportunity to make it that much harder for the city to ignore. Not everyone watches AIFF online. A student, casual football fan or someone who mainly follows Bengaluru FC may need to experience a match before deciding if it is something they want to attend.
This part cannot be fixed once the teams enter the field. Promotion is important because an international match should feel like an event in the city where it takes place, not something only known to the existing football audience. A view of the stands from inside the Sri Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. (Image: Debodinna Chakraborty/ India Today)
Here, too, a balance can be found. Fans have the right to challenge the federation, ticket prices and the decision to hold these friendly matches. But Indian football is also going through a period where the national team needs people to care about them, especially when they get the opportunity to play opposition of this level.
On Friday, he can decide whether India will make the occasion count.
THEN COMES FOOTBALL
And Panama offers India a serious test.
They are ranked 44th in the world and have featured in the 2026 World Cup. Brazil and Uruguay will follow in October, giving India three World Cup teams in the same FIFA window.
For Khalid Jamil’s party, this is a momentous occasion. India are ranked 138th and have never qualified for the Men’s World Cup, so matches against teams that have already reached that level are a fairly clear indicator of the gap the team still has to overcome.
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu has been around long enough to know that the opposition should not change the basic approach.
“To be honest, every single game has been special because you get to play for your country and that’s the most important thing. It doesn’t matter who we’re facing. We all want to win the games we play for our country against whoever.”
Meanwhile, Jamil knows that India cannot spend the entire evening defending.
“We play a stronger team. At the same time, you cannot defend all the time. So there will also be a mix of defending and attacking. We will react according to the situation.”
There is no shortage of things to argue about in Indian football. The federation can be challenged, supporters can disagree with decisions made and prizes can be debated.
But Friday eventually comes to a much simpler matter. For the first time since that SAFF Championship night in 2023, India will come out at Kanteerava and Panama will be waiting.
For all the noise surrounding the match, the players have 90 minutes to give Bengaluru something worth talking about.
– The end