The CAFA Nations Cup is a biennial football tournament contested by the countries of Central Asia and is organised by the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA).
The AIFF received an invitation from CAFA for India to participate in the competition in the 2025 edition, which is also the second edition of the competition.
India, under the tutelage of new head coach Khalid Jamil, will compete against some of the top teams in Asia, including Iran, with whom they have been clubbed in Group A.
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The Blue Tigers will kick off their campaign on Friday, August 29, against Tajikistan in Hisor. Here's all you need to know about India's schedule in the competition.
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CAFA Nations Cup 2025: Groups and points table
Group A
| Team | M | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uzbekistan | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Turkmenistan | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Krgyz Republic | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Oman | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Group B
| Team | M | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iran | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 3 |
| India | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 3 |
| Tajikistan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
| Afghanistan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 0 |
CAFA Nations Cup 2025: Indian football team's schedule
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| August 29 | India vs Tajikistan | Hisor Central Stadium, Hisor |
| September 1 | India vs Iran | Hisor Central Stadium, Hisor |
| September 4 | India vs Afghanistan | Hisor Central Stadium, Hisor |
CAFA Nations Cup 2025: Knockout stage
| Date | Round | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 8 | Third-place | Group A runners vs Group B runners | Hisor Central Stadium, Hisor |
| September 8 | Final | Group A winners vs Group B winners | Olympic City Stadium, Tashkent |
CAFA Nations Cup 2025: India full squad
Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Amrinder Singh, Hrithik Tiwari
Defenders: Rahul Bheke, Naorem Roshan Singh, Anwar Ali, Sandesh Jhingan, Chinglensana Singh, Hmingthanmawia Ralte, Muhammed Uvais
Midfielders: Nikhil Prabhu, Suresh Singh Wangjam, Danish Farooq Bhat, Thounaojam Jeakson Singh, Boris Singh Thangjam, Ashique Kuruniyan, Udanata Singh Kumam, Naorem Mahesh Singh
Forwards: Irfan Yadwad, Manvir Singh (Jr), Jithin MS, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Vikram Pratap Singh
Head Coach: Khalid Jamil