Football
India's place in Pot 2 for FIFA World Cup Qualifiers hangs in balance
India's hopes of being placed in Pot 2 for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers draw rest on whether the Hero Intercontinental Cup will be counted in FIFA rankings.
FILE PHOTO: Sunil Chhetri in action against Lebanon in 2023. (Photo credit: AIFF)
The road to the FIFA World Cup is always a challenging one, with teams from around the globe vying for a coveted spot in the prestigious tournament.
For India, the journey to secure a place in Pot 2 for the World Cup qualifiers draw - something that can be a game-changer in terms of progressing through the qualifying stages for the 2026 FIFA World Cup - has taken an uncertain turn.
India's fate now lies in the hands of FIFA and the crucial upcoming match against Kuwait on Tuesday.
Road to 2026 FIFA World Cup
The first draw for the AFC Zone will take place on 27 July, with FIFA rankings as on 20 July being considered. Teams will be seeded into four pots based on their rank.
India will enter the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers from the second round in November 2023. In this round, there will be nine four-team groups, with the four teams drawn from the four pots. Two teams each will progress to the third round from each group.
India are currently the last-placed team in Pot 2. If they can hold on to this, they will have to face only one of the Pot 1 teams - Japan, Iran, Australia, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, United Arab Emirates and Oman - in the second round.
All Pot 2 teams - Uzbekistan, China, Jordan, Bahrain, Syria, Vietnam, Palestine, Kyrgyzstan - would be successfully avoided.
The Intercontinental Cup question
India's hopes of being placed in Pot 2 as of July 20 rest heavily on whether FIFA will count the Hero Intercontinental Cup, which was played in June in Odisha. In case the tournament is considered in the FIFA rankings, India's current points will see them surpass Lebanon, and they do not have to worry about the outcome of the SAFF Championship final.
However, if the Hero Intercontinental Cup final is not taken into account, India will have to rely on the outcome of the upcoming SAFF Championship final against Kuwait to secure a spot in Pot 2.
In this scenario, a victory for India in the final would guarantee their place. A loss in a penalty shoot-out would also see India accumulate 1207.44 points, edging out Lebanon, who would be on 1205.77 points. A defeat in regulation time would, however, end in India being relegated to Pot 3.
On Tuesday, the Indian team, under the guidance of Mahesh Gawli and the support of their fans, will undoubtedly give their all to secure a favorable draw for the World Cup qualifiers and maintain their rank in the top 100.
