Brazil to Face India in First-Ever Meeting as Part of Friendly Tour
On Saturday, Oct. 3, India and Brazil will meet for the first time in history in a friendly match in Kolkata, with the World Cup winners heavily favored against a side ranked far lower by FIFA.
A historic first meeting
India's national football team hosts Brazil at Salt Lake Stadium in Bidhannagar on Saturday, Oct. 3, marking the first-ever meeting between the two countries, according to Sports Illustrated. The match is the third and final friendly of Brazil's current international break.
A clear gap in quality
Per Sports Illustrated, India sit 138th in the FIFA world rankings, while five-time world champions Brazil are 133 places higher. India, managed by Khalid Jamil, have struggled for results recently, picking up just three wins across all competitions since the start of 2024 — against Hong Kong, Tajikistan and the Maldives. Their last warm-up match ended in a 1-1 draw with Panama.
Brazil, under Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti, are fielding an experimental, youth-heavy squad as they look to move past their World Cup disappointment. In their two most recent friendlies against Australia, they first drew 1-1 before claiming a 4-2 win, with goals from established stars Raphinha, Bruno Guimarães and Vinícius Júnior.
Likely lineups
Sports Illustrated projects an India lineup in a 4-4-2 formation, with captain Gurpreet Singh Sandhu set to make his 90th international appearance in goal. Striker Ryan Williams, who has scored twice in his first three caps, is seen as India's main attacking threat, while young defender Ricky Meetei Haobam could make his senior debut.
Brazil are expected to be without Raphinha, who returned to Barcelona with a hamstring strain, meaning Endrick could lead the attack. Estêvão and Corinthians youngster Breno Bidon, potentially making his first international start, are also in contention.
Match officials
The match will be officiated by Uzbek referee Ilgiz Tantashev, according to BBC Sport, which also lists the assistant and fourth officials. Following the Brazil clash, India will face two-time world champions Uruguay the following Tuesday.
