India’s National Team has never played in a World Cup, but there’s a decent chance that will change when the tournament includes 48 teams in 2026. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) currently sends four teams to the World Cup, and its fifth place team competes in a playoff with the fourth place team from CONCACAF.
When the field expands, eight teams from the AFC will directly qualify. The World Cup’s growth, coupled with the national team’s improvements, provide sufficient reasons to be optimistic about the future of Indian soccer.
During Stephen Constantine’s second tenure as India’s head coach, the national team has risen from its all-time low FIFA ranking of 173 to 100, its highest ranking since 1996 (94th). Constantine has experience turning around the fortunes of national teams around the globe, including stops in Malawi and Rwanda.
He previously led India from 2002-2005, helping them advance to the finals of the Afro-Asian Games in 2003. His return to the helm has resulted in even more success, as India has won 11 of its last 13 games and is on the verge of qualifying for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup after missing out in 2015.
The professional soccer landscape in India is also changing, as the All India Football Federation (AIFF) is seeking to merge the upstart India Super League (ISL) with its current top flight I-League. The ISL has attracted aging foreign stars and celebrity investors across India, resulting in better facilities and increased fan access.
If the merger takes place within the next couple of years, India’s national team players will have more consistent training and coaching and benefit from a higher level of competition.
As the second most populous country in the world, India’s absence from the world soccer scene has been notable. However, it looks like they will make a splash soon, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see China join them as a vastly improved AFC nation.
India next plays Kyrgyzstan in an Asian Cup qualifier on June 13.
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