India names 26-player squad for Panama, Brazil, Uruguay

India has announced a 26-player squad for the upcoming international friendly window, starting with a match against Panama in Bengaluru on September 25. The Blue Tigers will face Panama at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Friday at 7:30 PM, before meeting Brazil on October 3 and Uruguay on October 6, both in Kolkata. This series offers a key test for head coach Khalid Jamil's side against high-caliber opposition, including a Panama team fresh from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Williams to lead India's attack

Ryan Williams will spearhead India's attack in these high-profile friendlies. The forward brings his club form from Bengaluru FC into the national setup, having scored 17 goals and provided 6 assists in 59 games for his club. Williams, who made his debut for Bengaluru FC in 2023, also found the net for India in their 2-1 win against Hong Kong back in March.

Defence built around experienced ISL campaigners

The defensive unit is built on regular Indian Super League starters who have featured in recent India friendlies. Akash Mishra, 24, started all 13 ISL games for Mumbai City last season, recording two assists and helping his club keep seven clean sheets. He has cemented his position in Khalid Jamil's preferred eleven.

Anwar Ali, 26, has been solid defensively over the last few seasons for East Bengal, occasionally contributing goals. Bijoy Varghese, also 26, made 12 ISL starts for Punjab FC last season, contributing 120 defensive actions. Varghese made his international debut in an AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Hong Kong and featured in both June friendlies against Tajikistan. Notably, experienced defender Sandesh Jhingan was not included in the squad for these matches.

Goalkeeping and midfield continuity

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu remains India's first-choice goalkeeper under Khalid Jamil. The Bengaluru FC player started in the Unity Cup and the friendlies against Tajikistan in May and June. In midfield, Ashique Kuruniyan returns, bringing national team experience from his 42 appearances for India. The 29-year-old, who returned to Bengaluru FC ahead of the 2025-26 season, scored three goals in ten league games for his club.

The midfield options available to Jamil include Anirudh Thapa, Farukh Choudhary, Lalengmawia Ralte, Macarton Nickson, Mohammed Sanan, Ricky Shabong, and Sahal Abdul Samad. Khalid Jamil would be hoping that Apuia starts contributing more in attack with some defence splitting passes against Panama, Brazil, and Uruguay.

Panama brings World Cup experience to Bengaluru

India's first opponent, Panama, presents a formidable challenge. Ranked 44th in the world, they are a recent 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier and finished as runners-up in the 2024-25 CONCACAF Nations League. Their squad for the tour includes 14 players from their 2026 World Cup roster, where they lost group games to Ghana, Croatia, and England.

The Panamanian team is packed with overseas professionals, with 22 of their 24 footballers having experience in foreign leagues. Their frontline features players like Amir Murillo of Besiktas, Andres Andrade of LASK, Tomas Rodriguez of Barcelona SC Guayaquil, and Jose Cordoba of Norwich City.

Among India's other squad members is young Mohun Bagan SG forward Abhishek Singh Tekcham. The 21-year-old, who made his international debut in 2025, has four caps but has been in-and-out of the squad due to injuries. India's preparation culminates with the high-profile fixtures in Kolkata against Brazil and Uruguay.