India set to host Uruguay in Kolkata friendly on October 6, 2026
India will meet Uruguay in an international friendly at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on October 6, 2026, with kick-off scheduled for 19:30 IST; Uruguay are ranked 20th in the FIFA World Rankings.
The match closes a September–October international window that has seen India face three FIFA World Cup-playing nations inside 12 days under coach Khalid Jamil. India drew their opening game against Panama and lost 0-4 to Brazil, but displayed quick transition play and completed 13 successful dribbles against Brazil compared with Brazil’s 3.
Uruguay have had a difficult 2026, drawing with England and Algeria in the March internationals, entering the 2026 FIFA World Cup without warm-up friendlies at the request of then-head coach Marcelo Bielsa, and exiting the tournament at the group stage with two points from three matches. After the World Cup elimination the Uruguayan Football Association parted ways with Bielsa and promoted Diego Forlán from the U-20s to the senior job. In the current window La Celeste lost 3-1 to Japan — conceding twice in stoppage time — before beating South Korea 4-1.
Diego Forlán's return to the senior setup follows managerial spells with Peñarol and Atenas in 2019 and 2021 that the article describes as disappointing, and his profile includes a playing stint with Mumbai City FC in the 2016 ISL season. The Uruguayan Football Association will hope the country's third-highest goalscorer can stabilise the national side after the World Cup exit.
Experienced defender José Giménez has made 100 appearances for Uruguay, placing him ninth on the country's all-time appearance list, and is expected to marshal the backline; the piece notes he has made over 250 appearances for Atlético Madrid and is currently playing for RC Deportivo in La Liga. Midfielder Giorgian de Arrascaeta has more than 60 caps, debuted in 2014 aged 20 in a friendly against Japan (providing the assist for the winning goal), has scored 14 international goals since his debut and supplied a goal and an assist in Uruguay's win over South Korea.
Striker Darwin Núñez has 15 goals in 43 appearances for Uruguay, including a brace in the recent victory over South Korea, and the article recounts his career path from Benfica to Liverpool, then Al-Hilal and a loan spell at Al-Diriyah FC. The report highlights Núñez's pressing, off-the-ball movement, pace and physicality while noting he needs to improve his finishing to convert chances more consistently.
The friendly on October 6 at Salt Lake Stadium will conclude India's September–October international window and provides India with one final test against a World Cup nation before the scheduled close of the run; kick-off is set for 19:30 IST.