The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has officially informed FIFA that India will not participate in the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026.
Instead, India have chosen to prioritize their historic international friendly against five-time FIFA World Cup champions Brazil, scheduled for October 3.
AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey explained that the decision was made due to scheduling conflicts and FIFA international window limitations.
"We are unable to participate in the FIFA ASEAN Cup due to our commitment with the Brazil Football Federation."
India had been drawn into a group with Indonesia 🇮🇩, Malaysia 🇲🇾, and Singapore 🇸🇬 for the tournament.
According to the AIFF, opportunities to face Southeast Asian opponents will come again, while hosting Brazil is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Indian football.