India’s senior men’s national football team will participate in the 2025 Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) Nations Cup as part of their preparations for the final round of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers. The tournament is scheduled to be held from August 31 to September 8.
India received an invitation to take part in the tournament after Malaysia withdrew due to logistical challenges and the unavailability of players. The tournament falls outside the official FIFA calendar.
The biennial CAFA Nations Cup will be jointly hosted by Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. India have been placed in Group B, which will be played in Dushanbe. The team will face hosts Tajikistan on August 29, Iran on September 1, and Afghanistan on September 4.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the play-off stage, scheduled for September 8. The third-place match will be held in Dushanbe between the two group runners-up, while the final will take place in Tashkent between the two group winners.
Group A, hosted by Uzbekistan, features Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz Republic, Turkmenistan, and Oman.
CAFA comprises six member nations — Afghanistan, Islamic Republic of Iran, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Oman and India are the two invited teams for the second edition of the CAFA Nations Cup. IR Iran are the defending champions, having defeated Uzbekistan 1-0 in the 2023 final.
India recently suffered a narrow 0-1 away defeat to Hong Kong in their first match of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers Final Round. Their remaining fixtures include away and home games against Singapore (October 9 and 14, respectively), an away match against Bangladesh (November 18), and a home fixture against Hong Kong, China (March 31, 2026).
CAFA Nations Cup 2025 Draw:
Group A: Uzbekistan (H), Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Oman
Group B: Tajikistan (H), Iran, Afghanistan, India
India’s match schedule:
August 29: Tajikistan vs India
September 1: India vs IR Iran
September 4: Afghanistan vs India
(With agency input)
