Indian Football Team Back In Action? Invited To Play At CAFA Nations Cup As Replacement
India will participate in the CAFA Nations Cup in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan from August 28 to September 8, replacing Malaysia.
India is set to participate in the CAFA Nations Cup, scheduled to be held in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan from August 28 to September 8. The Central Asian Football Association extended an invitation to India to replace Malaysia.
Malaysia, one of the two invited teams in the eight-team tournament, withdrew on July 15 due to logistical issues and player availability, as the event does not fall strictly within the FIFA international window from September 1-9.
Oman is the other invited country for the second edition of the tournament. Iran won the inaugural edition in 2023.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has accepted the invitation, although a final confirmation from the organisers is still pending.
'It's not confirmed yet, but we are waiting," a senior AIFF official told PTI.
If India's participation is confirmed, it will mark the first assignment for the new head coach, who will be appointed by the AIFF executive committee on August 1.
The CAFA countries participating in the tournament are Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan.
India will be placed in Group B alongside Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan if confirmed. India's first match will be against Tajikistan in Hisor, near Dushanbe, followed by matches against Iran on September 1 and Afghanistan on September 4, both at the same venue.
Group A matches, featuring the remaining four teams, will be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
The winners of each group will compete in the final on September 8 in Tashkent, while the runners-up from each group will face off in the third-place match on the same day in Hisor.
(with PTI inputs)
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First Published:
July 28, 2025, 20:59 IST
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