Ryan Williams to wear India blue at Sree Kanteerava Stadium as India host Panama on September 25, 2026
Ryan Williams will make his first appearance in India colours at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium when the Indian Men’s Football Team open their international window against Panama on Friday, September 25, 2026. Since his international debut in March he has earned two caps and scored once and will be seeking a third appearance.
Three years after beginning his Indian club career in Bengaluru, Williams returns to the venue where he has been playing for Bengaluru FC and spending his time running down the flanks. “It’s going to be special in every way, shape and form. I started my Indian footballing career here in Bangalore, and who would have thought three years ago that I would have been pulling on the jersey for India. It’s amazing. It’s a real full-circle moment,” said Williams.
The Panama match is the first of three high‑profile fixtures for India in this window, with the team then heading to Kolkata to face South American giants Brazil on October 3 and inaugural World Cup winners Uruguay on October 6; all three opponents are participants at the FIFA World Cup 2026. “First of all, the feeling is excitement. Obviously, the time together is really good for our preparation and for us going forward,” he said. “Three massive games that are obviously a huge test for us. But that’s what we want. That’s what we’re after — to see how these bigger teams do it, what we can take from these games, see how much we can learn and see how we use them going forward.”
India have retained players for an extended three‑week block under head coach Khalid Jamil rather than the usual 10‑day international break, a structure Williams believes will be beneficial. “Usually it’s 10 days, but we have three weeks together, which is valuable time for us to connect more, get the ideas from the coach and try different things in training,” he said. The 32‑year‑old expects the extra preparation time to pay dividends on the pitch.
Williams also highlighted the personal significance of returning to Kanteerava in national colours and the likely support from club and country fans. “I’m super, super excited to play at the Kanteerava, because that’s where I’ve spent most of my time here in India. I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of fans from BFC, and obviously of India as well,” said Williams. “For me, it’s a really special moment to be able to wear the blue of India now, playing at the Kanteerava Stadium. I’m extremely excited.”
Williams is set to make his third appearance for India when the Blue Tigers face Panama on September 25, 2026, before the squad travels to Kolkata for the Brazil match on October 3 and then plays Uruguay on October 6.
