Football
India withdraws from FIFA ASEAN Cup to focus on Brazil friendly
AIFF says the October 3 clash with five-time world champions Brazil and fixture constraints led to the decision.
Rahim Ali's equalizer earns India a point against Singapore in AFC Asian Cup Qualifier (Photo credit: AIFF)
India have withdrawn from the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup, with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) choosing to prioritise the national team's October 3 friendly against five-time world champions Brazil.
AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey confirmed the decision on Wednesday, citing India's existing commitment to the Brazil Football Federation as well as scheduling constraints during the September 21 to October 6 FIFA international window.
"We are unable to participate in the FIFA ASEAN Cup due to our commitment with the Brazil football federation," Chaubey told HT. "There were technical issues too since only four games can be played during the window."
AIFF eyes two more friendlies
India were drawn alongside hosts Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. The tournament was scheduled to begin on September 24, with the group winners progressing to the Division 1 final on October 3.
However, India's fixture against Brazil in Kolkata falls on the same date as the ASEAN Cup final.
Chaubey said India had already played Singapore and Malaysia four times over the last three years and could face them again, while an opportunity to host Brazil was considerably rarer.
With India now committed to only the Brazil fixture, the AIFF plans to use the remainder of the international window to arrange two additional friendlies against higher-ranked opponents. The federation has not disclosed the potential opponents.
The AIFF has also informed FIFA about the withdrawal. Under Article 5.2 of the FIFA ASEAN Cup regulations, teams withdrawing at least 30 days before their first match can face a minimum fine of CHF 15,000. AIFF officials, however, are hopeful of avoiding a penalty after explaining the circumstances to FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom.
India's decision means the national team will miss the inaugural ASEAN Cup but will instead build its September-October schedule around the high-profile Brazil encounter.