India’s senior men’s national team is scheduled to confront Afghanistan in the away leg of the second round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup 2027 Preliminary Joint Qualification. The match is set to take place on March 21, 2024, in Abha (March 22, 12:30 am IST).
The home game against the same opponent will take place at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati on March 26, 2024.
India vs Afghanistan FIFA World Cup Qualifier Live Streaming Details
India is currently level on three points in Group A of the qualifiers, alongside Kuwait, which holds the advantage in goal difference.
The Blue Tigers secured a victory over Kuwait (1-0) in Kuwait City during the opening match of the qualifiers. However, they faced a setback with a defeat against Qatar (0-3) in Bhubaneswar. Presently, Qatar leads the group with six points.
๐จ ๐จ๐ฃ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐จ
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) March 19, 2024
The #FIFAWorldCup qualifiers between Afghanistan vs India match on March 22, 2024 will be streamed live on ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐๐! #BlueTigers ๐ฏ #IndianFootball โฝ๏ธ
The Afghanistan vs India match will occur on March 21, 2024 (March 22, 12:30 am IST) in Abha, Saudi Arabia for the away leg. The home leg will be played at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati on March 26, 2024.
When and Where to Watch the IND v AFG Match
The FIFA World Cup qualifier match between Afghanistan and India on March 22, 2024, will be streamed live on FanCode. You can also watch the match on TV at DD Sports as they will be broadcasting India’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers clash against Afghanistan on March 22, 12:30 am IS 2024.
Stoking the Flames: A Decade-Long Football Rivalry Between India and Afghanistan
In the past 15 years, following Nepal, Afghanistan stands as the team India has encountered most frequently. This encompasses three consecutive SAFF Championship finals, two World Cup Qualifiers, and one Asian Cup Qualifier.
Any uncertainties regarding the continuation of this regional rivalry were dispelled after Afghanistan departed from SAFF in 2016. The rekindling of the rivalry became evident as both the Blue Tigers and the Lions of Khorasan found themselves drawn together in the same groups for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, the 2023 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers, and now the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
The history between India and Afghanistan dates back to 1949 when they engaged in a series of friendly matches in Kabul, followed by their first competitive encounter at the 1951 Asian Games in Delhi. However, in recent years, the significance of these encounters has heightened, with most matches evolving into tense and closely contested affairs, occasionally leading to heated exchanges.
Sunil Chhetri holds unparalleled insight into Afghanistan’s gameplay within the Indian squad. Having faced them eight times, starting from the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup in Hyderabad, he has scored four goals against them. Notably, his stunning free-kick in Kolkata during 2022 stands out as a testament to his exceptional abilities on the field.
๐จ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐จ
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) March 20, 2024
DD sports will be broadcasting ๐บ India's #FIFAWorldCup ๐ qualifiers clash against Afghanistan on March 22, 2024. #BlueTigers ๐ฏ #IndianFootball โฝ๏ธ
“They have progressively improved from when we met them for the first time,” said Chhetri. “The games were comfortable, but slowly and steadily they progressed. And because of being in the same region, the rivalry also generated. Hence, the games became quite close. Both India and Afghanistan have improved in the last decade or so. Having players who play outside has really helped them.”
Preparing for Altitude: Blue Tigers Train in Abha, Saudi Arabia
Known as the “Bride of the Mountain,” Abha city’s landscape diverges from the typical Saudi Arabian imagery. It boasts captivating vistas, fresh air, occasional fog, and notably, a mild climate. The temperature hovered around a pleasant 20 degrees Celsius on the initial day of training for the Blue Tigers, who journeyed to the capital of the Asir province for their FIFA World Cup Qualifiers away match against Afghanistan.
Situated at an altitude of 2,470 meters above sea level, this marks the first experience of such high elevation for each member of the Blue Tigers. Thus, acclimatizing to these conditions became the foremost priority. Consequently, the national team arrived in Abha at the earliest opportunity following the pause of the Indian Super League for the international break. Under the guidance of skipper Sunil Chhetri, all 25 members of the Blue Tigers conducted their inaugural training session on Saturday evening.
“Since our match will kick off at 22:00 here, we have moved our daily schedule forward a few hours so that players can adjust their biorhythm accordingly,” said head coach Igor Stimac.
The late-night kick-off time is attributed to Ramadan. In India, the match is scheduled to commence at 00:30 IST on March 22. Fans can catch the live stream of the match on FanCode.
During this international break, three players – defenders Amey Ranawade and Jay Gupta, and winger Imran Khan – have received their first call-up to represent India. Stimac elaborated on the qualities that particularly impressed him, ultimately leading to their selection to wear the India blue jersey.
