Archive · 18 Aug 2026
India misses Brazil friendly as stadium plan hits roadblock
The Brazil football team is coming to India to play a friendly match on October 3.
A friendly match is a game that is not for a trophy, just for fun and practice.
Brazil is one of the best football teams in the world and has won the World Cup five times.
India wanted to host another Brazil match too, maybe against Uruguay.
But that plan did not work because a big stadium in Mumbai was not available.
The stadium could not be used because of problems with groundwater and a court order.
India also wanted an Argentina-Brazil match, but that did not happen either.
People say it may happen in the future.
India finds it hard to get big teams because its money is weak and its football ranking is low.
Still, fans in India are excited to see Brazil play in October.
Brazil will play an international friendly against India at Salt Lake Stadium on October 3.
A second Brazil match in India, possibly against Uruguay, was shelved because DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai was unavailable.
The National Green Tribunal had barred DY Patil and two other stadiums from sports activity over groundwater issues.
An Argentina-Brazil friendly in India also hit a dead end, though sources say it could happen in the near future.
A weak rupee and India's FIFA ranking of 138 are cited as reasons India struggles to attract big-ticket friendlies.
- Who
- Brazil's national football team, coached by Carlo Ancelotti, and India's national football team; organisers and the National Green Tribunal also feature.
- What
- India missed out on hosting a second Brazil friendly, possibly against Uruguay, because DY Patil Stadium was unavailable.
- When
- The confirmed Brazil-India friendly is on October 3; the international window runs September 21 to October 6.
- Where
- Salt Lake Stadium in Calcutta for the confirmed match; Mumbai/Navi Mumbai for the shelved plan.
- Why
- DY Patil Stadium was blocked by a National Green Tribunal restraint over groundwater issues; a weak rupee and India's FIFA ranking of 138 also deter big-ticket friendlies.
- Confirmed match
- Brazil vs India friendly on October 3
- Venue
- Salt Lake Stadium, Calcutta
- Shelved plan
- Second Brazil match in Mumbai, possibly vs Uruguay
- Reason for shelving
- DY Patil Stadium unavailable
- NGT action
- Restrained three stadiums, including DY Patil, over groundwater issues
- India FIFA ranking
- 138
- International window
- September 21 - October 6, 2026-27 season