Stimac announces 28-member probable for World Cup Qualifiers

Most of the top guns including Sunil Chhetri, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and Sandesh Jhingan figured in the 28-member probable announced by Indian football team head coach Igor Stimac on Friday for the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.

This is for the first two matches of Round 2 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Preliminary Joint Qualification.

The Blue Tigers are set to face Kuwait in their opening Group A fixture at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait City on November 16 before returning home to take on Qatar at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on November 21.

India will travel to Dubai on November 8 for a preparatory camp before the qualifiers.

List of 28 probables for matches against Kuwait and Qatar

Goalkeepers: Amrinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Vishal Kaith.

Defenders: Akash Mishra, Lalchungnunga, Mehtab Singh, Nikhil Poojary, Rahul Bheke, Roshan Singh Naorem, Sandesh Jhingan, Subhasish Bose.

Midfielders: Anirudh Thapa, Brandon Fernandes, Glan Peter Martins, Lalengmawia, Liston Colaco, Mahesh Singh Naorem, Nandhakumar Sekar, Rohit Kumar, Sahal Abdul Samad, Suresh Singh Wangjam, Udanta Singh Kumam.

Forwards: Ishan Pandita, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Manvir Singh, Rahul Kannoly Praveen, Sunil Chhetri, Vikram Partap Singh.