– by Pratyusha Mukherjee
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has announced that the Brazil senior men’s national team will play an international friendly against India on October 3, 2026, at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata.
The match will be one of the biggest fixtures in Indian football history, with five-time FIFA World Cup winners Brazil set to face the Indian national team. It will also mark the highest-ranked opponent India have faced since the FIFA World Ranking system was introduced in 1992, with Brazil currently ranked fifth in the world.
Brazil’s rich footballing legacy has inspired generations of players and fans globally, including millions of supporters in India, which is home to one of the largest Brazilian fan bases outside Brazil.
AIFF Deputy Secretary General M. Satyanarayan described the occasion as a landmark moment for Indian football.
“To welcome a team of Brazil’s stature to our country is an extraordinary moment and one that will undoubtedly become a landmark chapter in the history of Indian football,” he said.
Director of National Teams Subrata Paul said the fixture would provide India’s players with a rare opportunity to compete against one of football’s greatest nations.
“For our national team players, this is far more than just another match. It is a rare opportunity to test themselves against one of the greatest footballing nations the game has ever known. Experiences like these challenge players to grow, inspire them to dream bigger, and leave memories that stay with them throughout their careers,” he said.
(Inputs from AIFF)
