India has withdrawn from the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 following its scheduling clash with a friendly against Brazil.
On 13 Aug 2026 GMT+7, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) informed the global football governing body that India could not participate in the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026, choosing instead to prioritize a historic friendly match against Brazil, five-time world champions.
Originally, India was an invited team from outside Southeast Asia for the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026, set to begin on 24 Sep. India was drawn in a group with Indonesia (host), Malaysia, and Singapore. The group winner would advance to the Division 1 final on 3 Oct, the same day India was scheduled to face Brazil in a highly anticipated friendly at home.
“We cannot participate in the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 due to our commitments with the Brazilian Football Confederation,” AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey told Indian media on Wednesday night.
“There are also technical issues since teams can only play four matches during the FIFA international window. We have informed FIFA, and officials understand the reasons behind our decision.”
Chaubey further explained that over the past three years, India has played Singapore and Malaysia, group rivals, four times already, with potential future encounters likely. However, persuading Brazil to come to India for a match is a dream come true.
“Playing against Brazil could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Indian players and can help promote football throughout our country,” Chaubey said.
According to Article 5.2 of the FIFA ASEAN Cup regulations, if a participating member association withdraws at least 30 days before the first match, FIFA's disciplinary committee may impose a minimum fine of about 1.76 million Indian rupees (610,744 baht).
However, AIFF is confident India will avoid fines after explaining the situation in detail via email to FIFA Secretary-General Matthias Grafström.