FIFA World Cup is the most prominent tournament which comes every four years and every country dreams of being part of this exciting tournament. FIFA World Cup is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world and every nation wants to be part of it but only a few get the opportunity to participate in it. Previously only 32 teams could take part in it but in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, there will be a total of 48 teams participating in the tournament.
Many countries are dreaming of getting the opportunity to represent themselves in this major tournament and mark their name in history books forever. One of the few countries is India. The people of India are major sports fanatics especially when it comes to Football and Cricket. In the past, Cricket had a major hold on the interest and viewership of the people of India but since the emergence of the India Super League in 2013, All the football-loving fans in India have come out of their shells and are supporting their favorite clubs in the league.
Indian Football Team have lots of fans rooting for them to become more successful and get that spot to participate in the FIFA World Cup. Recently Indian Football Team won the SAFF Championship Final against Kuwait in Penalties. It is one of the major victories for the team in recent years. Curious to know when can India participate in the FIFA World Cup. Let’s read out about it in detail.
When can Indian Football Team participate in the FIFA World Cup?
The Indian men’s football team has been handed a major boost in their pursuit for a place in the 2026 World Cup qualification after FIFA released the latest rankings on Thursday, June 29. The team captain Sunil Chhetri led the team and won Intercontinental Cup earlier in the month having got the better of Lebanon. India’s win over Lebanon had huge consequences as they now are likely to occupy the second spot in the draws for the second round of FIFA qualifiers.
India currently are 18th in the AFC rankings which will see them avoid all the teams from pot two. On the contrary, they will be the second-seeded side in the final groups of qualifiers. It is a significant boost for them especially after winning the SAFF Championship as it’ll automatically increase their position in the rankings. Also, India will be avoiding all the pot number two teams and will have only one pot one team in their group, they will get a significantly favored group in the second round. India will finish as group runners-up at minimum.
In that case, India will qualify for round three, which will see them get a step closer to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Also Read– 2026 FIFA World Cup AFC Qualifying First Round: Teams, Schedule, Format
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