New Delhi, August 25: The senior men’s football team of India is set to host a friendly match against Panama during the FIFA men’s international match window. This encounter is scheduled for September 26, although the venue has not yet been confirmed.
This will be the first match between the two nations, marking the ninth different CONCACAF team that India will face in its history. Currently, Panama holds the 44th position in the FIFA World Rankings. The “Blue Tigers” (Indian team) will have another opportunity to test themselves against a World Cup-participating nation.
Panama, known as “Los Canaleros,” participated in the FIFA World Cup 2026. The upcoming match in September will be the first of four scheduled matches for India against teams that will compete in the 2026 World Cup. Following the match against Panama, India will play against Brazil on October 3, and then face New Zealand on November 12 and 15.
M. Sathyanarayana, Deputy Secretary General of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), stated, “Playing against Panama before the match with Brazil will be a tough challenge. Panama is one of the top-50 teams in the world, and this will be a good test for Khalid Jamil’s team. We want our players to gain valuable experience, and we generally do not get the chance to play against such World Cup teams. Therefore, this FIFA window is significant for us as we compete against such strong teams.”
The Indian men’s national team will also travel to New Zealand during the next FIFA international match window to play two friendly matches on November 12 and 15.
The first match will take place at the Go Media Stadium in Auckland, while the second will be held at the One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch. These matches were announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to New Zealand and are part of a series of sporting events celebrating “100 Years of Unity Through Sports” between the two nations.
This tour will mark the Indian men’s national team’s first visit to New Zealand and the first visit by any OFC member country since 2005, when India played two international friendly matches against Fiji.
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