India held to 1-1 draw by Panama in Bengaluru as low turnout and high ticket prices spark criticism

India drew 1-1 with Panama at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru in the opening friendly of their September–October international window. The match finished level after India took the lead in the first half and Panama responded around the hour mark.

India entered the fixture ranked 138th while Panama were 44th (now 46th), and the game was billed as a rare home meeting with a 2026 World Cup nation. The All India Football Federation had prioritised these friendlies — even risking withdrawal from the ASEAN Cup — and Khalid Jamil’s side, who were expected to lose in the window, produced an unexpected draw that the report described as "probably India’s biggest result on the international stage since the goalless draw against Qatar in 2019."

Ryan Williams gave the Blue Tigers the lead in the first half and Panama levelled around the hour mark. Khalid Jamil’s team created further chances late in the match but missed opportunities, with Edmund and Manvir failing to convert what the report called "some crucial chances" in the final third.

Only 9,039 spectators attended the game in a stadium with a capacity of almost 26,000. The article contrasted that figure with Bengaluru FC’s recent domestic form, noting Bengaluru FC managed to attract "more than 15,000 spectators on average for every game during the last ISL season," and that the Sree Kanteerava hosted average attendances of "around 18,000 per game" during the 2023 SAFF Championship, with "close to 25,000 fans attending the final."

The report attributed the low turnout primarily to ticket pricing, listing a starting price of ₹849 (₹950 including the convenience fee and GST) "just to sit on cement slabs," and stating the West Block was priced at "almost ₹3,000," with a district early-bird offer reducing it to "₹2,000 for a few days." It added that "On an average ISL matchday, these tickets would cost somewhere around ₹500."

A regular supporter identified as Mohit said he boycotted the match in protest and criticised the AIFF in two quoted passages: "Since 2020, the Sree Kanteerava Stadium has been my second home. I have attended every single BFC match without miss. When the SAFF Championship 2023 came to town, watching India lift that trophy at the Kanteerava remains one of my proudest moments as a football fan. So, when the announcement dropped that India vs Panama was happening right here in Bengaluru, I was genuinely thrilled." "However, looking at the ticket pricing has left me and thousands of other passionate supporters deeply disappointed and angry. Charging ₹1,000 for North Upper and ₹849 for North and South Lower stands just to sit on bare cement slabs is completely unacceptable. We are all aware of our national team’s current situation and performance dip. Instead of making tickets accessible to fill the fortress and give the team the 12th-man advantage, the federation (AIFF) is treating fans like cash cows." One fan on X, Vinay Shankar, posted: "Tkt prices Rs 3500 apparently, which even West Blockers cannot pay, most of whom are now well earning individuals. How does AIFF expect general populace of students who form the bulk of the attendance to pay such exorbitant prices? Brazil game will see same fate given its Kolkata"

AIFF Deputy Secretary General M. Satyanarayan attributed the lower turnout partly to scheduling changes and possibly ticket prices, saying: "The attendance was affected by advancing the game from Saturday to Friday due to the marathon on Sunday, and perhaps also by the ticket prices. But there is always a price you need to pay to watch a World Cup team in action." The report noted that, following the failure to sell out the stadium, some observers questioned whether the fixtures were being used for PR ahead of the upcoming AIFF presidential elections.

India held 44th-ranked Panama to a 1-1 draw at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, with Ryan Williams scoring the opening goal in the first half. For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.