Khalid Jamil names 26-man India squad for friendlies against Panama, Brazil and Uruguay

Khalid Jamil has named a 26-member India squad for three international friendlies against Panama, Brazil and Uruguay during the September-October FIFA window, with fixtures scheduled in Bengaluru and Kolkata.

Panama enter the series ranked 44th in the world and were participants at the 2026 FIFA World Cup; the match against India will be the first-ever meeting between the two nations. Brazil are listed as five-time world champions and Uruguay as two-time world champions in the announced schedule.

India will remain in Bengaluru for the opening phase of the window before travelling to Kolkata on September 28 for the two marquee fixtures at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan. The Kolkata dates are October 3 against Brazil and October 6 against Uruguay, and all three opponents named for the tour featured at the 2026 World Cup.

The 26-player group comprises four goalkeepers, eight defenders, eight midfielders and six forwards. The goalkeepers named are Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Albino Gomes, Som Kumar and Prabhsukhan Singh Gill.

Defenders selected are Akash Mishra, Abhishek Singh Tekcham, Bijoy Varghese, Anwar Ali, Jay Gupta, Hmingthanmawia Ralte, Pramveer and Ricky Meetei Haobam; midfielders are Macarton Nickson, Ashique Kuruniyan, Farukh Choudhary, Anirudh Thapa, Lalengmawia Ralte, Sahal Abdul Samad, Mohammed Sanan and Ricky Shabong. The forwards called up are Irfan Yadwad, Edmund Lalrindika, Rahim Ali, Manvir Singh, Ryan Williams and Vikram Partap Singh.

The squad list includes established internationals such as Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Anirudh Thapa, Anwar Ali and Manvir Singh, with Ryan Williams named among the attacking options. The selections combine experienced players and those expected to be assessed during the window.

AIFF officials described the Panama fixture as an important test ahead of the Brazil match, noting Panama's top-50 ranking as a factor in the opening encounter's significance. Jamil has said the sequence of fixtures will allow him to evaluate his squad against considerably stronger opposition and gain a clearer picture of the team's level relative to World Cup-calibre sides.

The squad will assemble in Bengaluru on September 14, providing nearly two weeks of preparation before India open the series against Panama on September 26 at Sree Kanteerava Stadium.