The Blue Tigers join Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore in Group A of the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup, set to be played during the September FIFA international window.
Kolkata, July 31: FIFA has introduced the FIFA ASEAN Cup, a new men’s international football tournament for Southeast Asian nations and invited teams. Aiming to support the growth of football across the Southeast Asian region. The inaugural edition will be played from September 21 to October 6, 2026, during the official FIFA international window.
The Premier Division (Division 1) is the top tier of the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup and features the strongest participating nations, including invited teams. Eight teams have been divided into two groups of four, with India placed in Group A alongside Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
Group B features Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and Pakistan. Indonesia will host the Premier Division matches. The teams will compete for a place in the knockout stage, with the eventual winners being crowned the first-ever FIFA ASEAN Cup champions and receiving the tournament’s top prize.
The Division 2 competition will feature six teams, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia and Timor-Leste. The teams have been divided into two groups of three, with Hong Kong hosting all the matches. Like the Premier Division, Division 2 will provide participating nations with an opportunity to compete in a structured international tournament and gain valuable competitive experience.
The tournament gives India an opportunity to compete regularly against some of Southeast Asia’s strongest national teams in a FIFA-sanctioned competition. As the matches will be played during the FIFA international window, all participating teams are expected to have their full-strength squads available, making the competition an important test for the Blue Tigers.
The FIFA ASEAN Cup marks a new chapter in international football in Southeast Asia. The inaugural edition will provide the Blue Tigers with valuable international exposure and an opportunity to measure their progress on a bigger stage.
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