After SAFF victory, how far is Team India from qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2026?

India's football team extended their impressive unbeaten streak to 11 matches by triumphing over Kuwait in the SAFF Championship 2023 final, securing victory through a 5-4 penalty shootout. This remarkable win completed a remarkable treble of titles for India, encompassing the Hero Tri-Nation Cup, The Intercontinental Cup, and the SAFF Championship. Furthermore, this achievement is further enhanced by India's recent entry into the top 100 list of FIFA men's rankings.

3 Things You Need To Know

• Team India are undefeated in their last 11 games, starting with the Hero Tri-Nation Cup opener
• Indian captain Sunil Chhetri is the third-highest goal scorer in international football
• India have never made an appearance in the FIFA World Cup

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How soon can India qualify for the FIFA World Cup?

Despite these notable accomplishments, it is worth noting that the FIFA World Cup remains universally acknowledged as the pinnacle of international football, and India has yet to make an appearance in any of the 22 editions held thus far. India qualified for the marquee quadrennial event during the 1950 edition but it was made possible only after the Philippines, Myanmar, and Indonesia opted to pull out. However, India also opted to withdraw for reasons that remain unclear.

Nevertheless, India's quest for their maiden appearance in the FIFA World Cup finals is ongoing. India’s recent milestone to complete a treble by winning their 9th SAFF Championship title certainly makes the supporters wonder how soon can they see the Indian football team play on the biggest stage of international football. Here’s a look at the timeline for when India could potentially qualify for this esteemed global tournament.

Can India qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026? Know how

While the possibility of India qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2026 exists in theory, the likelihood of it actually happening is quite low due to several factors that need to align. The expansion of the tournament to 48 teams is a small advantage for India as it increases the number of slots for Asian teams from 4.5 to 8. Since India ranks among the top 20 Asian teams, they won’t be part of the first round of Asian qualification for the World Cup 2026. 

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They will head into the Preliminary Round 2, where 36 teams will clash, divided into nine groups of four teams each.  To have a chance, India needs to perform exceptionally well and secure a top-two finish in their group. A higher FIFA ranking can aid their cause by placing them in Pot 2 during the draw, giving them a better chance of facing lower-ranked teams. However, even if India surpasses Preliminary Round 2, they would still need to navigate through the subsequent rounds, which include the top 10 teams from Asia.