Shillong to Host AFC Asian Cup Qualifier vs Bangladesh in March
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Synopsis
Shillong's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium will witness the India senior men's football team play two matches in March. They face Bangladesh in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers on March 25 and Maldives in a friendly on March 19, marking the stadium's first senior men's international matches post-refurbishment.
Key Takeaways
- Shillong's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium will host India’s matches.
- India plays Bangladesh on March 25 in qualifiers.
- A friendly match with Maldives is scheduled for March 19.
- India is placed 127th in FIFA rankings.
- The stadium has a seating capacity of 15,100.
New Delhi, Feb 11 (NationPress) The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium located in Shillong, Meghalaya, is set to host the India senior men’s national football team for two matches during the upcoming March FIFA International Window, as announced by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Tuesday.
India will kick off their AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 qualifiers final round campaign against Bangladesh on March 25, following an international friendly match against Maldives on March 19 at the JLN Stadium in Shillong.
In this round, India has been placed in Group C of the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Qualifiers Final Round, competing against Hong Kong, Singapore, and Bangladesh. The group stage will follow a home-and-away round-robin format until March 2026, with the group winners progressing to the main tournament.
India's recent encounters with these teams include their last meeting with Bangladesh during the 2021 SAFF Championship, Hong Kong in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers in Kolkata in June 2022, and Singapore in the Hưng Thịnh Friendly Tournament in Vietnam in September 2022.
According to the FIFA Rankings published in November, India is currently placed 127th, with Hong Kong at 156th, Singapore at 161st, and Bangladesh at 185th.
This will mark the inaugural hosting of senior men's international matches at JLN Shillong following its refurbishment last year. The stadium, which accommodates 15,100 spectators, has previously hosted domestic tournaments including the Durand Cup, Indian Super League, I-League, and I-League 2nd Division.
Upcoming matches for India in the March 2025 FIFA International Window:
March 19: India vs Maldives, 7pm IST, FIFA International Friendly
March 25: India vs Bangladesh, 7pm IST, AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Qualifiers final round
