India are set for one of the biggest football nights in their history when the Blue Tigers face five-time FIFA World Cup champions Brazil in Kolkata on Saturday. The match will bring Vinicius Junior, Endrick and a star-studded Brazil squad coached by Carlo Ancelotti to Salt Lake Stadium, with the 138th-ranked Indians facing the world No. 5 side in the first senior men’s international meeting between the two countries.
India vs Brazil: A historic night in Kolkata
The India vs Brazil international friendly will be played at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, better known as Salt Lake Stadium, in Kolkata on Saturday, October 3, 2026.Kick-off is scheduled for 7:30 PM Indian Standard Time (IST).It will be the first-ever senior men’s international football match between India and Brazil, while Brazil will also be playing an international match on Indian soil for the first time. The fixture gives India a rare opportunity to face one of the most successful national teams in the history of the FIFA World Cup.Brazil are currently ranked No. 5 in the FIFA rankings, while India sit at No. 138. That makes Brazil the highest-ranked opposition India have faced since the FIFA rankings were introduced in 1992. The 133-place gap also makes this an unusually steep test for Khalid Jamil’s side.The Blue Tigers go into the match with some confidence after holding Panama to a 1–1 draw in Bengaluru last week.Ryan Williams put India ahead in the first half before Panama’s Omar Valencia equalised after the break. India remained competitive throughout that contest despite Panama being ranked 44th in the world, 94 places above India.The Brazil challenge, however, represents another level entirely.After facing Brazil, India will remain in Kolkata to take on two-time world champions Uruguay on October 6, giving Jamil’s team another major test during the international window.
Vinicius Junior, Endrick and Brazil’s star-studded squad
Brazil arrive in Kolkata under head coach Carlo Ancelotti after playing two friendlies against Australia.The first ended in a 1–1 draw in Townsville before Brazil responded with a 4–2 victory in Brisbane. Vinicius Junior scored in the second match and is among the headline names expected to attract the attention of supporters at Salt Lake Stadium.The Brazilian squad also includes Endrick, Rayan, Estevao, Pedro and Samuel Lino, giving Ancelotti several attacking options as he continues to develop the team following the 2026 FIFA World Cup.There is considerable experience elsewhere in the squad, with Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhaes and Bruno Guimaraes among the established internationals travelling to Kolkata.Raphinha was originally named in the squad but has since been ruled out after suffering a thigh injury against Australia. Brazil have not called up a replacement for the Barcelona forward. Chelsea forward Joao Pedro had also withdrawn earlier through injury and was replaced by Fluminense midfielder Gabriel Martinelli.Ancelotti has indicated that the India match will also provide opportunities for players who have had fewer minutes during the international window. Brazil goalkeeper Pedro Morisco, for example, is set to start against India after Hugo Souza and Otavio featured in the previous matches.Brazil’s visit has generated significant excitement in Kolkata, a city with a long-standing connection to Brazilian football. The Brazilian team received an enthusiastic welcome after arriving in the city, with captain Marquinhos describing the match as an opportunity to acknowledge the country’s large Indian fanbase.
Where to watch India vs Brazil live in India
The India vs Brazil football friendly will kick off at 7:30 PM IST on Saturday, October 3.Fans in India can watch the match live on the Sony Sports Network, with television coverage listed across Sony Sports 2, Sony Sports 3, Sony Sports 4 and Sony Aath.The match will also be available for live streaming on SonyLIV, through its app and website. SonyLIV has listed India’s international friendlies against Brazil and Uruguay as part of its 2026 football coverage.
India vs Brazil 2026: Full squads
India: Albino Gomes, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Prabhsukhan Singh Gill, Som Kumar, Abhishek Singh Tekcham, Akash Mishra, Anwar Ali, Bijoy Varghese, Hmingthanmawia Ralte, Jay Gupta, Pramveer, Ricky Meetei Haobam, Anirudh Thapa, Ashique Kuruniyan, Farukh Choudhary, Lalengmawia Ralte, Macarton Nickson, Mohammed Sanan, Ricky Shabong, Sahal Abdul Samad, Edmund Lalrindika, Irfan Yadwad, Manvir Singh, Rahim Ali, Ryan Williams, Vikram Partap Singh.Brazil: Hugo Souza, Pedro Morisco, Otavio, Arthur Dias, Douglas Santos, Gabriel Magalhaes, Jair, Marquinhos, Matheuzinho, Mauro Junior, Vitor Reis, Wesley, Andrey Santos, Breno Bidon, Bruno Guimaraes, Danilo Santos, Douglas Luiz, Gabriel Bontempo, Gabriel Martinelli, Endrick, Estevao, Pedro, Rayan, Samuel Lino, Vinicius Junior.The Brazilian squad originally included Raphinha, but he has withdrawn because of injury and no replacement has been called up. The India squad contains 26 players, with Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Anirudh Thapa, Sahal Abdul Samad, Manvir Singh and Ryan Williams among the more familiar names for Indian supporters.
India vs Brazil football 2026: Match details
- Match: India vs Brazil
- Competition: FIFA international friendly
- Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026
- Venue: Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium), Kolkata
- Kick-off: 7:30 PM IST
- India FIFA ranking: 138
- Brazil FIFA ranking: 5
- Live TV in India: Sony Sports 2, Sony Sports 3, Sony Sports 4 and Sony Aath
- Live streaming: SonyLIV
- Next match for India: Uruguay, October 6 in Kolkata
For Indian football, the occasion goes beyond another international friendly: it is the first senior men’s meeting with Brazil, bringing Ancelotti’s side and some of the biggest names in world football to Kolkata for a match the Blue Tigers will be expected to use as one of their most demanding tests of the year.
