India to host Uruguay in Kolkata in international friendly on 6 October 2026
India meet Uruguay in an international friendly at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Tuesday, 6 October, 2026. The Blue Tigers arrive after a hard-working outing against Brazil and will seek a positive result to close this international window.
This fixture is India’s final friendly of the current international break at the Salt Lake Stadium, with Khalid Jamil’s side described as underdogs against two-time FIFA World Cup champions Uruguay. The Blue Tigers did not win their last two notable friendlies, but the spirit shown against Brazil and Panama has been cited as evidence of Jamil building a fearless group against tough opponents.
Tactically, India have been urged to be defensively more stubborn and compact than in their previous match and to avoid mistakes, while relying on clever and efficient counter-attacks to trouble the Uruguayan defence. Securing a win or even a draw would be presented as a significant accomplishment for India against a major opponent; by contrast, another heavy defeat would be expected to produce disappointment within the squad.
Uruguay are undergoing change under new manager Diego Forlan after a disappointing group-stage exit at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and come into the game following a 4-1 victory over South Korea. The visitors are expected to aim for possession-based control, to create chances and to entertain the crowd by looking to score multiple goals, with a big win regarded as desirable to lift the squad’s mood.
Squad news sees Khalid Jamil with the entire India group available for selection. Diego Forlan brought a strong Uruguay contingent but Federico Valverde is not part of the trip as he recovers from an injury suffered before the window; Mathías Olivera and Martín Satriano have left the Uruguay camp after picking up injuries and returned to their clubs, and Giorgian de Arrascaeta has suffered a wrist injury.
The pair have met only once previously, at the 1982 Nehru Cup, when Uruguay defeated India 3-1.
The match will kick off at 7:30 PM IST and will be broadcast live on Sony Ten 2 and streamed on Sony LIV.
