How Can Indian Football Team Still Qualify For The 2026 FIFA World Cup?

With the Indian football team losing out on a chance of getting valuable three points at home during Sunil Chhetri's farewell match at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, there chances of playing their first ever FIFA World Cup has got a little slimmer now.

Can India Still Qualify For 2026 FIFA World Cup?

Afghanistan held Qatar to a 0-0 draw, complicating India's chances of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2026. India will face Qatar in their final match of the second round of qualifiers.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the largest ever, expanding from 32 to 48 teams. This extended format allows more matches and increased representation for various confederations, giving relatively weaker nations a better shot at qualification.

To qualify, India must finish in the top two in both the second and third rounds of the qualifiers. Currently, the Blue Tigers are second in their group, one point ahead of Afghanistan, with a game in hand.

Qualification Scenarios for India:

1. If India Wins: A victory over Qatar will give India eight points. If Afghanistan loses to Kuwait, India will advance.
2. If India Draws: A draw will leave India with six points. In this case, Afghanistan must also draw against Kuwait, and the qualification will then depend on goal difference.

Qualification Process:

• Round 2: The top two teams from each group move to the third round and qualify for the AFC Asian Cup.
• Round 3: Six teams qualify for the World Cup. The teams are divided into three groups of six, playing home-and-away matches. The top two teams from each group secure a spot in the World Cup.
• Round 4: Two teams qualify for the World Cup. The remaining teams are split into two groups of three, playing a one-off game at a neutral venue. The winners of each group qualify, while the runners-up move to Round 5.
• Round 5: One team enters an inter-confederation play-off. The teams play two legs on a home-and-away basis, with the winner advancing to the play-off.

India’s chances are slimmer after the recent draw, but their fate will be decided in the upcoming crucial match against Qatar.

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