# India withdraws from FIFA ASEAN Cup for Brazil friendly 2026-08-13T14:48:38+00:00 | Sports | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 4 independent outlets India have withdrawn from the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup to prioritise their October 3 friendly against Brazil in Kolkata. AIFF deputy secretary general M Satyanarayanan told PTI: “We have pulled out of the FIFA ASEAN Cup since we can’t play both Brazil and FIFA ASEAN Cup.” India had accepted FIFA’s invitation and were drawn in Group A with Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore for the September 21-October 6 tournament. The AIFF had considered sending a developmental squad but opted to withdraw entirely. India failed to qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup and has struggled to arrange regular high-quality opposition. Reports suggest the federation is exploring friendlies against Cabo Verde and Iran, though no fixtures have been confirmed. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com - hindustantimes.com - sportstar.thehindu.com - indiatvnews.com Tags: AIFF, Brazil friendly, FIFA ASEAN Cup, India football team, M Satyanarayanan, Salt Lake Stadium Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/india-pulls-out-of-asean-cup-to-play-brazil-friendly/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/india-pulls-out-of-asean-cup-to-play-brazil-friendly/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.