India have withdrawn from the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup after a scheduling clash with their highly anticipated friendly against Brazil in October.
India were invited to participate in the inaugural edition of the FIFA ASEAN Cup in June. Indonesia were named as the hosts, with India drawn alongside the hosts, Singapore and Malaysia in the competition.
However, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has now decided to pull the Indian team out of the tournament after confirming a blockbuster friendly against five-time FIFA World Cup champions Brazil.
Brazil Friendly Creates Scheduling Conflict
On July 30, the AIFF announced that India will take on Brazil at Kolkata’s Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan on October 3.
The FIFA ASEAN Cup final is scheduled for October 4, meaning India could potentially have been required to play two matches within a day if they reached the final.
“Yes, we have withdrawn our participation from the FIFA ASEAN Cup. Unfortunately, it was not possible for us to play in that competition because of the scheduling conflict with our friendly against Brazil. The final of the ASEAN Cup is on 4 October, while the Brazil friendly is on 3 October, so we had to pull out of the tournament,” AIFF general secretary M Satyanarayan said.
AIFF Rules Out Sending Two Teams
Satyanarayan explained that India would have faced an even bigger issue had they reached the ASEAN Cup final.
“Had we reached the final of the ASEAN Cup, our only option would have been to forfeit, which would have invited even bigger problems on us. Sending two different teams was not an option either, because FIFA does not allow that,” he added.
The scheduling conflict therefore left the AIFF with little choice, with the federation ultimately prioritising the Brazil fixture.
Brazil Seen As Bigger Opportunity
The AIFF believes facing Brazil represents a rare opportunity for Indian football and could provide valuable exposure against one of the world's strongest teams.
“The Brazil game is a big opportunity for us. We can play against the likes of Singapore at any given time. We keep facing these teams from ASEAN frequently. But we don’t know when we will get the chance to play against Brazil again,” Satyanarayan said.
“The fifth-ranked country coming to play against the team ranked 138th is a big thing for all of us. The fans are really excited as well. We did not want to lose this opportunity.”
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India Target More High-Profile Friendlies
With the Brazil fixture taking priority, India are now looking to use the international window to face stronger opposition, reprotedly Uruguay and Cape Verde.
The AIFF has also written to FIFA explaining the reasons behind India's withdrawal from the ASEAN Cup and is hopeful of avoiding any sanction from the world governing body.
The Brazil clash in Kolkata is expected to be a historic moment for Indian football, with the national team aiming to gain valuable experience against elite opposition while building towards future international challenges.