The FIFA World Cup is a major global event in which some of the best countries get the opportunity to play. However, India has failed to secure a place among those countries and has, therefore, not participated in the FIFA World Cup. Despite being at the top in many aspects and events, India has not been able to qualify for the FIFA Finals ever. They have only managed to play a friendly match with Yemen, which was approved by FIFA. The question why India has not been able to perform good enough to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, is still unanswered. The primary reason behind it is a lack of interest in the said sport, which has failed to elevate it to the levels or status enjoyed by sports like Cricket in this country.
This article has tried to shed light on the position of India in FIFA World Cup and its past and present. It has also shed light on the times India had managed to grab the limelight by being closer to qualification.
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India in FIFA World Cup: India’s FIFA Team Members List
The Indian Football team has some great players. These players have to follow one criterion to be on the team, and that is to have Indian origin. There are almost 23 players in the Indian team for the FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifier matches. The players and their position in the team have been given here for a better understanding of the readers:
Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Amrinder Singh, Karanjit Singh
Defenders: Pritam Kotal, Sandesh Jhingan, Anas Edathodika, Salam Ranjan Singh, Narayan Das, Subhasish Bose, Jerry Lalrinzuala
Midfielders: Udanta Singh, Jackichand Singh, Eugeneson Lyngdoh, Anirudh Thapa, Rowllin Borges, Pronay Halder, Md. Rafique Ali Sardar
Forwards: Balwant Singh, Jeje Lalpekhlua, Sunil Chhetri, Sumeet Passi
India in FIFA World Cup: Details
A team of twenty-eight players was announced for the World Cup 2022, held in Qatar. The players were flown off to Doha on the 19th of May, where they had to face the Group E qualifying games. On the 3rd of June, India had to face Qatar for the qualifying match of the FIFA World Cup. It was held in the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium. However, the Indian Football team, captained by Sunil Chettri, failed to perform as well as other teams in the qualifying games and thus could not secure a place in the FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifying list. The FIFA World Cup India rank is relatively low in the list.
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India in FIFA World Cup: World Cup Qualifying Matches
India had to play three qualifying matches in three days to secure a place in the World Cup 2022. They played a game on the 3rd of June, the 7th of June, and the 15th of June. These matches were played against three different teams, namely, Qatar, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. Their first match was played with the hosting country, Qatar. Qatar was also very high AM ng the top teams for the World Cup 2022. A table containing all the information about India in FIFA World Cup has been given here:
| Date/Day | Teams | Time | Stadium Name |
| June 3, Thursday | Qatar | 10:30 PM | Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha |
| June 7, Monday | Bangladesh | 07:30 PM | |
| June 15, Tuesday | Afghanistan | 07:30 PM |
India in FIFA World Cup: A Look At Past Performances
The table here sheds light on how the Indian team has performed in the FIFA World Cup over the years. This table can provide all the required information in an organized form. Refer to the table here for more information:
| 1950 | Qualified |
| 1986 | Didn’t Qualify |
| 1990 | – |
| 1994 | Didn’t Qualify |
| 1998 | Didn’t Qualify |
| 2002 | First Round Qualified |
| 2006 | Second Round Qualified |
| 2010 | First Round Qualified |
| 2014 | Second Round Qualified |
| 2018 | Second Round Qualified |
| 2022 | Second Round Qualified |
India in FIFA World Cup: Scope
Even though the Indian Football team has failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup in previous years, it does not mean it cannot qualify. The scenario can take a turn for the best. The rank of the Indian Football team in the FIFA World Cup 2022 is 104th. Even though it is not so good, it is still better than many nations that are in the same league. There are also other matches, such as the Asian Cup, that can further encourage the team as well as boost the ranking of India in FIFA World Cup.
India in FIFA World Cup: FAQs
India is currently ranked at the 104th position.
No, India did not qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2022.
India faces Qatar, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan in the qualifying games of the FIFA World Cup
Sunil Chettri is the current captain of the Indian Football team.
Igor Stimac is the current head coach of the Indian Football team.
