Mission AFC Asian Cup 2027: Blue Tigers On The Hunt for Third-Round Qualification

Indian ballers are set to once again shine in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers to try and gain entry into the coveted tournament that will take place in 2027. They failed to qualify directly in the second round as they were defeated by Afghanistan on the last matchday with a heartbreaking 2-1 scoreline.

AFC Asian Cup qualifiers

With Sunil Chhteri back in the Indian team, India will look to nail the qualification in this round as they will be facing Bangladesh on 25th March, 2025. India is also set to play a friendly warm-up match against Maldives on 19th of March.

Defender Rahul Bheke said they had a good start to the camp, with two solid training sessions.

“We still have two more days before our friendly, and that’s great preparation for the 25th game (against Bangladesh). I think Maldives will be a good test because they are a similar kind of side to what Bangladesh will be,” he said.

The 22-member Maldivian team arrived in the capital of Meghalaya on Sunday and will train for two days before playing the Blue Tigers.

“I have played against both teams before, but it’s been a few years since we last met them. I have seen their clips from recent matches. They are both good teams aiming to qualify for the Asian Cup. So, we need to do our best. These are two home matches that we surely need to win.”

Sunil Chhetri’s comeback

On Sunil Chhetri’s comeback, Bheke said he really didn’t know that he was coming back to the national team.

“He told us his decision during BFC training the same day his return was announced. I think it’s a great thing for the team because at present, he is the leading Indian goalscorer in the league,” he said.