New Zealand to host India in second international friendly at One New Zealand Stadium on Nov 15, 2026
India travel to Christchurch to meet New Zealand in their second international friendly at the One New Zealand Stadium on Sunday, 15 November (2026), with kick-off scheduled for 8:40 AM IST, following a 5-0 defeat to the All Whites in the first friendly in Auckland.
The Blue Tigers were comprehensively outplayed by New Zealand in the opening friendly and enter the return fixture under head coach Khalid Jamil with pressure to show improvement. New Zealand see the game as a chance to assert their superiority and to test players as they build for the upcoming FIFA Qualifiers, while India view the match as crucial for rebuilding confidence and protecting their position in the FIFA World Rankings ahead of the FIFA/AFC Qualifiers.
India have won only one game in 2026 and have conceded 15 goals across their last three matches — 4 against Brazil, 6 against Uruguay and 5 against New Zealand — figures that increase the stakes for the Blue Tigers in Christchurch. The outcome could influence whether India enters the FIFA/AFC Qualifiers in Round 1 or Round 2, making a positive result important for the national side.
Khalid Jamil will have his squad available for the second friendly against the All Whites, and New Zealand head coach Darren Bazeley will reportedly have a fully fit squad for the match. Named in India's travelling party were Vishal Kaith (GK), Abhishek Singh, Mehtab Singh, Jay Gupta, Anirudh Thapa, Hnate, Liston Colaco, Md Suhail, Ryan Williams and Manvir Singh. The list of New Zealand players included Alex Paulsen (GK), Callan Elliot, Bill Tuloma, Nando Pjnaker, James McGarry, Alex Rufer, Matt Garbett, Callum McCowatt, Logan Rogerson, Jesse Randall and Chris Wood.
Jesse Randall was a decisive figure in the first friendly, scoring twice in the first half and causing problems on the wings; the 24-year-old winger plays for Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership and has three goals and three assists in the 2026-27 season for the club. Randall's versatility across the frontline and his impact in Auckland mean attention will be on how India contain him in the return match.
India captain Anirudh Thapa, 28, will be central to the Blue Tigers' plans in Christchurch, tasked with organising the midfield, winning possession and creating chances for the attackers, particularly on counter-attacks. The match narrative places additional responsibility on Thapa to provide composure and structure in the centre of the park.
The second friendly will be streamed live on FIFA+ on DAZN.com and via the DAZN app. With qualification implications for India and New Zealand using the fixture to assess players, the match offers immediate competitive context ahead of the FIFA/AFC qualifying window.
A further heavy defeat could worsen the situation for India and head coach Khalid Jamil, making the November 15 meeting at One New Zealand Stadium — kick-off 8:40 AM IST — a consequential fixture for the Blue Tigers' short-term trajectory and their standing ahead of the qualifiers.