In a bid to fine-tune preparations for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers Final Round, the Indian senior men’s national football team will participate in the CAFA Nations Cup 2025, scheduled to be held from August 31 to September 8 in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
India’s inclusion comes after Malaysia withdrew from the tournament due to logistical issues and player unavailability, as the competition falls outside the FIFA international calendar. The Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) extended an invitation to India to join the regional event as one of two guest teams, alongside Oman.
India have been drawn in Group B, with all matches to be played in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The Blue Tigers will face hosts Tajikistan on August 29, defending champions Iran on September 1, and Afghanistan on September 4.
CAFA Nations Cup 2025 – Group B (Dushanbe):
August 29: Tajikistan vs India
September 1: India vs IR Iran
September 4: Afghanistan vs India
The top two teams from each group will qualify for the play-offs. The final will be held in Tashkent on September 8, between the group winners, while the third-place match will be contested by the runners-up in Dushanbe on the same day.
Group A, hosted in Tashkent, features Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz Republic, Turkmenistan, and Oman.
This marks the second edition of the CAFA Nations Cup, with Iran winning the inaugural title in 2023, defeating Uzbekistan 1-0 in the final.
India’s appearance at the tournament will serve as crucial match-time ahead of their remaining AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, following a narrow 0-1 away defeat to Hong Kong in their opening group game. The remaining fixtures are:
October 9: Singapore (away)
October 14: Singapore (home)
November 18: Bangladesh (away)
March 31, 2026: Hong Kong, China (home)
The CAFA Nations Cup will provide India with a valuable opportunity to test themselves against strong opponents in high-stakes matches, as head coach Igor Stimac continues to assess his squad ahead of the crucial qualifiers.
