The Indian senior men's team is set to face Bangladesh in Group C of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers Final Round on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at the National Stadium in Dhaka. The match is scheduled to kick off at 19:30 IST.
For fans in India eager to catch the action, the match will be live-streamed on FanCode. According to some sources, the live streaming will also be available on the JioHotstar app. However, other sources indicate that there will be no live telecast of the match on any TV channel in India. In Bangladesh, T-Sports will telecast the match live, starting at 8 pm.
This will be the 30th meeting between India and Bangladesh in men's football. In their previous 29 encounters, India has emerged victorious 14 times, while Bangladesh has won on four occasions, with 11 matches ending in a draw. The last time these two teams met was in March earlier this year in Shillong, which ended in a goalless draw.
Notably, this match marks the first time in 22 years that India will play Bangladesh on Bangladeshi soil. The last such encounter was during the 2003 SAFF Gold Cup, where Bangladesh secured a 2-1 victory at the same venue in Dhaka.
Despite both India and Bangladesh being out of contention for a spot in the AFC Asian Cup 2027, the match still holds significance. India will be aiming to improve their FIFA ranking and end the qualifying campaign on a positive note. A victory against Bangladesh would undoubtedly boost the team's morale and provide a sense of accomplishment. Both teams are eager to secure their first win in this stage of the competition.
India's head coach, Khalid Jamil, acknowledged the importance of the match, stating, "We are happy to be here, and it is our pleasure to be in Bangladesh. Bangladesh are a good team, and it will be a good match". Goalkeeper Sahil echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the team's thorough preparation during their training camp in Bengaluru.
In preparation for the match, the Blue Tigers had a training camp in Bengaluru, which commenced on November 6, and they arrived in Dhaka on November 15. They had two training sessions in Bangladesh, one at the Armed Police Battalion Ground on Sunday evening and another official training session at the National Stadium on Monday morning.
Coach Jamil has prioritized the inclusion of newer and younger players for this game, with potentially seven players making their senior India debut. These players include Sahil, Hrithik Tiwari, Pramveer, Lalremtluanga Fanai, Mohammed Sanan, and Bikash Yumnam.
Bangladesh's skipper, Jamal Bhuyan, expressed optimism about his team's chances, stating, "We are all waiting for the match... We have prepared well and worked hard... we want to forget that and focus on the India match". He also noted that India is not in their best form and that Bangladesh should capitalize on this opportunity.
The absence of Sunil Chhetri, who retired last year but was briefly brought back for India's home match against Bangladesh in March, is a talking point. Coach Jamil stated that he did not consider Chhetri this time.
