India will resume their 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification campaign on Friday, taking on Afghanistan in the Preliminary Joint Qualification Round 2 at the Damac Stadium in Abha. A win will see India reach the third round, something which has remained elusive since their first participation in the qualifiers in 1985.
India are currently third in Group A, with three points in two matches, packed with a win and defeat. Meanwhile, Qatar are on top with six points in two games (two wins), followed by Kuwait (three points in two matches) in second place. Afghanistan are bottom of the table with two defeats in two fixtures.
Both sides have met 11 times in history, with India leading 7-1 in head-to-head. Meanwhile, three fixtures have ended in a draw. This is the fourth time in five years that India will take on Afghanistan in an official match. The two meetings in the World Cup qualifiers in 2019 and 2021 ended as 1-1 draw each. Meanwhile, India sealed a 2-1 win in the Asian Cup Qualifiers in 2022 in Kolkata.
Speaking ahead of the match, India head coach Igor Stimac said, "We have been training normally as usual. We came here earlier so the boys can adapt to the different climate in Abha, and things look okay at the moment. Ashley knows most of our boys quite well and has been preparing his team for us since the Asian Cup. A few months back they had a camp in Abha to work on their game plan and played a friendly with a local team here. But we are sure they will be a much better side than what we have seen in their opening games."
When will the India vs Afghanistan FIFA World Cup Qualifier take place?
{{/usCountry}}Speaking ahead of the match, India head coach Igor Stimac said, "We have been training normally as usual. We came here earlier so the boys can adapt to the different climate in Abha, and things look okay at the moment. Ashley knows most of our boys quite well and has been preparing his team for us since the Asian Cup. A few months back they had a camp in Abha to work on their game plan and played a friendly with a local team here. But we are sure they will be a much better side than what we have seen in their opening games."
When will the India vs Afghanistan FIFA World Cup Qualifier take place?
{{/usCountry}}The India vs Afghanistan FIFA World Cup Qualifier will take place on Friday, March 22. The match is scheduled for 12:30 AM IST.
Where will the India vs Afghanistan FIFA World Cup Qualifier take place?
The India vs Afghanistan FIFA World Cup Qualifier will take place at the Damac Stadium in Abha.
Where will the India vs Afghanistan FIFA World Cup Qualifier be live broadcasted on Indian television?
The India vs Afghanistan FIFA World Cup Qualifier will be broadcast live on Indian television via DD Sports.
Where will the India vs Afghanistan FIFA World Cup Qualifier be live streamed?
The India vs Afghanistan FIFA World Cup Qualifier will be live streamed via Fan Code.