FIFA World Cup: For India, Qualification Still Just a Distant Dream
The FIFA World Cup is just around the corner, with the final taking place in Qatar next November. However, for many Indian football fans, this year’s tournament will be remembered as another missed opportunity to participate.
For Gourav Roy, an Indian software engineer living in San Francisco, attending both the semifinals and the final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup was a dream come true. But it remains just that – a distant dream for India.
The country has failed to qualify for next year’s Asian Cup, making a FIFA World Cup appearance unlikely. The AIFF (All India Football Federation) is still working on securing spots in the tournament, but its chances of qualification are dwindling by the day.
As one of the few countries with a significant population, India should be able to compete at the highest level. However, deep-rooted systemic issues and the failure to implement reforms have left Indian football struggling to reach even the 2027 Asian Cup stage.
The AIFF has been working on reforming its youth development system, but it remains unclear whether this will make a difference in India’s chances of qualification for major tournaments like the World Cup. The country is also facing challenges from poor infrastructure and lack of popularity, which makes it difficult to attract top talent.
In cricket-mad India, football remains popular only in a handful of states, with most fans confined to pockets such as West Bengal, Goa, Kerala, Mizoram, and Manipur. However, the ISL (Indian Super League) has been trying to change this by promoting Indian football globally through limited success.
Despite efforts from clubs like NorthEast United’s Mandar Tamhane, who previously led Bengaluru FC, it remains unclear whether a collective effort will be enough to fix India’s problems. The government is also playing its part in improving the country’s infrastructure and youth development system, but more needs to be done.
For Roy, attending the World Cup was just another missed opportunity for Indian football fans. “They are talking about a 64-team World Cup,” he said. “It won’t gift us anything, but more places mean more hope.”
The uncertainty over India’s qualification prospects is further complicated by the government’s plans to launch a “sports passport” initiative that will allow Indian-origin athletes to represent their country at international tournaments.
While this may seem like a positive step towards improving Indian football, it remains unclear whether it will be enough to overcome the country’s systemic issues and failure to implement reforms. As one AIFF executive committee member noted, “The government can help with infrastructure, but for Indian football to improve, the federation has to make sure the clubs, state associations, corporates, and other stakeholders all work together.”
For now, fans like Roy will continue to hold out hope that India’s football will eventually get a chance to shine. As one fan said, “They are talking about a 64-team World Cup,” but for Indian football, it remains just another missed opportunity.
Source: Al Jazeera
Based on reporting from Al Jazeera.
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