India face scheduling headache as Brazil friendly coincides with ASEAN Cup

Five-time world champions Brazil are set to play on Indian soil for the first time in history. The Latin American giants are scheduled to play a friendly match against the hosts in October.

With the date and venue finalised, excitement has gripped Indian football circles. However, there is a scheduling conflict — the ASEAN Cup is taking place at the same time, with India also participating.

It would be difficult to manage both tournaments simultaneously, so the Indian federation considered withdrawing from the ASEAN Cup. However, this idea faced strong opposition from some quarters. According to media reports, India will instead send a second-string side to the ASEAN Cup.

This is the first time FIFA is organising the ASEAN Cup, scheduled to run from September 24 to October 4. Meanwhile, the Brazil match is set for October 3. If India advance to the semi-finals or final of the ASEAN Cup, they would not be able to field their best players against Brazil. The federation does not want that — they want their strongest side to face Brazil. As a result, it appears a different squad will be named for the ASEAN Cup.

India are grouped with Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore in the ASEAN Cup, with only the group winners advancing to the next round.

India's former captain Baichung Bhutia has opposed the decision to send a second-string side to the ASEAN Cup. He told the Khel Now website, "At the committee meeting, I strongly emphasised playing in the ASEAN Cup. It is a much better tournament than the SAFF Championship. You get separate participation fees and attractive prize money if you perform well. Most importantly, the tournament is crucial for the team's development. Playing three or four competitive matches is far better than playing just one."

He added, "Brazil is Brazil. Playing against them is a different experience. But the timing is bad. It's only one match. What real benefit will one match bring for the national team's long-term development?"

The Indian federation did not fully accept Bhutia's proposal. They want their best players to feature against Brazil, but have not withdrawn from the ASEAN Cup either.