India's fixture list for 2022 Football World Cup qualifiers out; Kolkata & Guwahati to host first two home matches

iconic Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata and Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati will be hosting Indian Football team's first two home games in  2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, with India being given a comparatively favourable draw in its bid to qualify for our first football World Cup finals. 

Kushal Das, General Secretary of All India Football Federation (AIFF) has confirmed this news to a media publication on Thursday. 

India's race to World Cup

Indian Team will be in Group E where y will be competing against FIFA World Cup 2022 hosts Qatar, Oman, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. Igor Stimac’s men will begin ir race for consolidating ir berth in next edition of FIFA World Cup when y lock horns against Oman in Guwahati on September 5 this year. y will n play ir second home match and third one of ir campaign against Bangladesh at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on October 15. Meanwhile, 'Blue Tigers' will be traveling to Qatar where y will be facing World Cup hosts on September 10. India will n play ir next two away games on vember 14 and 19 against Afghanistan and Oman respectively.  Sunil Chhetri-led side will n host Qatar on March 26 next year before y head to Bangladesh for ir last away game on June 4. Team India will finish ir campaign when y host Afghanistan on June 9.

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Here is complete schedule of India's fixtures:

September 5 - India vs Oman

September 10 - Qatar vs India

October 15 - India vs Bangladesh

vember 14 - Afghanistan vs India

vember 19 - Oman vs India

March 26 - India vs Qatar

June 4 - Bangladesh vs India

June  9 - India vs Afghanistan

India's achievements in world football

Indian football did have its best era in 1950s and 1960s. Indian team have participated in four straight Summer Olympics between 1948 to 1960. ir best performance was a fourth-place finish in 1956 edition where y reached semi-finals but lost to Bulgaria in bronze medal match. 

India had opportunity to make ir first and only World Cup appearance in 1950 edition in Brazil but did t participate in tournament, backing out in last moment. 

Why are hosts Qatar playing qualifiers when y have automatically qualified for tournament?

Yes, Qatar will be hosting FIFA World Cup 2022. So question is why are y even in qualifiers when y are hosting football's prestigious tournament?

answer is that Qatar are obliged by   Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to participate in Asian qualifying st as first two rounds also act as a qualification for  2023 AFC Asian Cup.

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