Archive · 24 Sep 2026
India Sees Panama Friendly as Test for World Cup Progress
India is going to play a football match against Panama in Bengaluru.
Panama is ranked much higher than India in FIFA’s rankings.
Panama has played at the World Cup, so India expects a difficult game.
Coach Khalid Jamil believes the match can show India what it needs to improve.
Goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu also wants India to learn from Panama.
Jamil has added younger players to the squad and mixed them with experienced players.
He wants the team to defend when necessary but also attack.
India hopes to win, but it also wants to gain experience for the future.
The team believes playing more strong opponents can help it become better.
India, ranked 138th by FIFA, will face 44th-ranked Panama in a friendly in Bengaluru.
Khalid Jamil and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu view the match as a chance to learn from a World Cup-level team.
Jamil has selected younger players alongside senior figures including Sandhu and Anirudh Thapa.
India plans to combine defensive discipline with attacking play rather than defend throughout the match.
Sandhu said India must seek both a positive result and valuable lessons from playing stronger opponents.
- Who
- India’s national football team, head coach Khalid Jamil, goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and Panama’s national team.
- What
- A FIFA international friendly intended to test India against a stronger opponent and provide lessons for future development.
- When
- The match was scheduled for Friday; the comments were made on the eve of the match, with the report dated September 24.
- Where
- Bengaluru, India.
- Why
- India wants to understand the standards of a World Cup-level team, develop younger players and improve by facing stronger opposition.
Development and Learning
Immediate Competition
Purpose of the match
Development and Learning
The friendly should be used to study how a World Cup-level team operates and identify areas for India to improve.
Immediate Competition
India should also focus on trying to win rather than treating the game only as a learning exercise.
Team selection
Development and Learning
Including younger players alongside experienced footballers can help build a new, stronger team over time.
Immediate Competition
Leaving out some senior players could reduce the team’s experience against a much stronger opponent, although Jamil said they may return.
Playing style
Development and Learning
India should attack as well as defend and avoid being defensive throughout the match.
Immediate Competition
Because Panama is ranked far higher and considered stronger, India may need to prioritize defensive organization depending on the situation.
- Match
- India vs Panama FIFA international friendly
- Venue
- Bengaluru
- India FIFA ranking
- 138th
- Panama FIFA ranking
- 44th
- India’s approach
- A mix of defending and attacking
- Squad strategy
- Younger players mixed with senior players
- Senior players mentioned
- Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and Anirudh Thapa
