India to play two friendlies against New Zealand, first match in Auckland on Nov 12, 2026
The India national football team will meet New Zealand in two back-to-back friendly matches during the November 2026 international window, with the first fixture scheduled for 12 November in Auckland, New Zealand. Khalid Jamil will be aiming to finish the year on a positive note for India after a mixed set of results in 2026.
India and New Zealand do not frequently meet in football because they belong to different confederations and therefore do not cross paths in continental competitions; their next meetings will be the first since 2018. New Zealand occupy 88th place in the latest FIFA World Rankings, 50 positions above India, who sit at 138th. The two nations have a limited head-to-head history in international football despite more regular encounters in cricket.
India’s results in 2026 have been inconsistent: aside from a SAFF Championship win over Pakistan with an alternative side, the senior team managed only a draw with Panama in one of three matches during the September–October 2026 break and conceded 10 goals across two games against Brazil and Uruguay. The Blue Tigers have lost five of their last seven matches in all competitions, and their only noted victory against a prominent opponent this year came against Hong Kong in their final match of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification clash in March 2026.
New Zealand’s 2026 record includes participation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where they lost all three group games and conceded 10 goals in the tournament. Overall in 2026 the All Whites have won three of 11 competitive matches; they have registered two wins in four matches played since the World Cup and were defeated by Japan in the 2026 Kirin Cup Soccer final in their most recent outing.
India and New Zealand have met only twice in official internationals. Their first encounter came at the 1981 Merdeka Tournament, when both nations were placed in a group also containing Japan, the UAE, Indonesia and hosts Malaysia; that opening game finished 0-0 and India advanced to the semi-finals ahead of New Zealand on superior goal difference.
The sides met again at the 2018 Intercontinental Cup after India began the tournament with 5-0 and 3-0 group wins over Chinese Taipei and Kenya respectively. In the India–New Zealand match Sunil Chhetri struck in the 47th minute to put India ahead, but Andre de Jong and Moses Dyer scored for New Zealand in a 2-1 comeback victory. New Zealand did not reach the tournament final after an earlier defeat to Kenya, and India subsequently beat Kenya 2-0 to lift the Intercontinental Cup.
New Zealand have one win and one draw from the two previous meetings, while India are still seeking a first victory over the All Whites. India’s two November friendlies will be their final matches of 2026, beginning with the fixture in Auckland on 12 November.