Khalid Jamil names 23-player India squad for New Zealand friendlies
Synopsis
India head coach Khalid Jamil has named a 23-player squad for two friendlies against World Cup-qualified New Zealand, running parallel to the SAFF Championship. The dual-squad management and the inclusion of Liston Colaco, Bijoy Varghese and Muhammad Suhail from the ongoing Dhaka tournament signal both ambition and logistical complexity for Indian football.
Key Takeaways
Khalid Jamil named a 23-player squad on 6 November 2026 for India's friendlies against New Zealand .
Matches are scheduled for 12 November (Auckland) and 15 November (Christchurch) during the November FIFA International Match Window .
Liston Colaco , Bijoy Varghese , and Muhammad Suhail exit the SAFF Championship 2026 squad in Dhaka to join the New Zealand tour.
Farukh Choudhary , Noufal P.
N. , and Hmingthanmawia Ralte are released from the SAFF squad and return to Mumbai City FC .
Ronney Kharbudon misses the Dhaka trip due to injury.
The squad assembles in Bengaluru on Saturday and departs for Auckland on Sunday night.
Head coach Khalid Jamil on Friday, 6 November 2026 announced a 23-player squad for the Indian men's national football team's two friendlies against New Zealand during the November FIFA International Match Window. The Blue Tigers will travel to New Zealand for back-to-back matches against the All Whites — a rare overseas test for Indian football ahead of a busy competitive calendar.
Match Schedule and Venues
India will face New Zealand in the first fixture on 12 November at the Go Media Stadium, Auckland, with kickoff at 11:30 IST. The second friendly follows on 15 November at the One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch, kicking off at 08:30 IST. Both matches serve as preparation for future competitive assignments.
Squad Composition and Key Names
The 23-player group includes three players drawn from Naushad Moosa's ongoing SAFF Championship 2026 squad in Dhaka — Bijoy Varghese, Muhammad Suhail, and Liston Colaco — who will exit the tournament to join Jamil's New Zealand-bound contingent. Meanwhile, Farukh Choudhary, Noufal P. N., and Hmingthanmawia Ralte have been released from the SAFF Championship squad and will return to their club, Mumbai City FC. Ronney Kharbudon will not travel to Dhaka due to an injury.
The squad is structured across all three departments. Goalkeepers: Hrithik Tiwari, Som Kumar, Vishal Kaith. Defenders: Abhishek Singh Tekcham, Akash Mishra, Bijoy Varghese, Jay Gupta, Mehtab Singh, Pramveer, Ricky Meetei Haobam, Roshan Singh Naorem. Midfielders: Anirudh Thapa, Ashique Kuruniyan, Jithin MS, Lalremtluanga Fanai, Lalrinliana Hnamte, Tomba Singh Haobam. Forwards: David Lalhlansanga, Edmund Lalrindika, Liston Colaco, Manvir Singh, Muhammad Suhail, Ryan Williams.
What Jamil Said
Addressing the challenge ahead, Khalid Jamil underscored the significance of the tour. 'New Zealand are also a World Cup-playing nation and a strong opponent, and these two matches will be a good test for us away from home,' he said. 'We want to prepare well, play with discipline and use this opportunity to improve as a team.'
Logistics and Build-Up
The New Zealand-bound squad will assemble in Bengaluru on Saturday for their first training session on Sunday, before departing for Auckland later that night. Notably, the dual scheduling — running parallel to the SAFF Championship — highlights the demands of managing two simultaneous national-team setups, a logistical challenge for Indian football's governing structures.
The two friendlies represent a valuable opportunity for Jamil to assess depth and test combinations against a ranked international side ahead of future AFC commitments.
Point of View
Another en route to New Zealand — is a signal of ambition but also of thin depth. Pulling Colaco, Suhail and Varghese out of the SAFF squad mid-tournament is a gamble that could affect continuity in Dhaka while giving Jamil his preferred options in Auckland. The more instructive question is what India's coaching setup actually learns from these friendlies: New Zealand, as a World Cup nation, will expose defensive and transition vulnerabilities that routine SAFF opponents do not. If those lessons feed into a structured preparation cycle, the dual-squad strain is worth it; if the matches are treated as routine outings, the disruption to the SAFF campaign will look harder to justify.
NationPress
7 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has been named in India's squad for the New Zealand football friendlies?
Head coach Khalid Jamil named a 23-player squad on 6 November 2026 that includes goalkeepers Hrithik Tiwari, Som Kumar and Vishal Kaith, along with key forwards Liston Colaco, Manvir Singh, Muhammad Suhail and Ryan Williams. Three players — Bijoy Varghese, Muhammad Suhail and Liston Colaco — have been pulled from the SAFF Championship 2026 squad to join this group.
When and where will India play New Zealand in the November FIFA window?
India will face New Zealand on 12 November at the Go Media Stadium in Auckland (kickoff 11:30 IST) and on 15 November at the One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch (kickoff 08:30 IST). Both matches are part of the November FIFA International Match Window.
Why are some SAFF Championship players joining the New Zealand squad?
Bijoy Varghese, Muhammad Suhail and Liston Colaco have been released from the SAFF Championship 2026 squad in Dhaka to link up with Khalid Jamil's New Zealand-bound group. Coach Jamil has prioritised their availability for the friendlies, which he described as a valuable test against a World Cup-playing nation.
Which players have been released from the SAFF Championship squad?
Farukh Choudhary, Noufal P. N. and Hmingthanmawia Ralte have been released from the SAFF Championship squad and will return to their club Mumbai City FC. Additionally, Ronney Kharbudon will not travel to Dhaka due to injury.
What is the significance of the India vs New Zealand football friendlies?
New Zealand are a World Cup-qualified nation, making these matches a high-quality benchmark for India away from home. Coach Khalid Jamil has stated the fixtures are an opportunity for the Blue Tigers to test discipline, combinations and overall team improvement ahead of future competitive commitments.
