EXPLAINED: How India arranged football friendlies with Brazil, Uruguay & Panama
After a month of back and forth and backchannel communication, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) have confirmed that the men's team will feature in three friendlies in the upcoming FIFA window between September 21 and October 6. In a first, the national team will have back-to-back-back matches against three sides who played at the World Cup in the US, Mexico and Canada. But who's playing for these matches? And what happened to the tournament that India were scheduled to feature in?
After a month of back and forth and backchannel communication, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) have confirmed that the men's team will feature in three friendlies in the upcoming FIFA window between September 21 and October 6. In a first, the national team will have back-to-back-back matches against three sides who played at the World Cup in the US, Mexico and Canada. But who's playing for these matches? And what happened to the tournament that India were scheduled to feature in? Here, the daily tries to answer some of these questions...
We knew they were playing Brazil. Who are the other two countries?
Brazil is of course the marquee clash. The five-time world champions will play the national team in Kolkata on October 3. A few days after that Saturday, India will play fellow South American powerhouses, Uruguay, again at the same venue. The match, though, which kickstarts this exhibition of football will be against Panama in Bengaluru on September 26.
Getting Brazil to India is an expensive affair, no? Who's footing the bill? FIFA?
Nope, FIFA has no role to play in arranging friendly matches. Outside of establishing FIFA-mandated international windows during the season, they do not have a big role to play. There is also a monetary aspect involved and it's understood that the hosting association foots a lot of the bills, especially when it's a marquee team like Brazil. The going rate for such a friendly is reportedly well over 50 crores.
The AIFF will have to foot the bill but, in turn, the Indian federation will hope to break even via things in their own control. Tickets, hospitality packages, broadcast rights and other commercial activity around the game. Of course, over and beyond all that, there's also the prospect of the sport receiving a much needed fillip in this country. Brazil undoubtedly provides it. Panama and Uruguay will also be paid to come here but they won't be nearly as expensive.
Can any country play friendlies with any country? Why haven't India played glamour friendlies in recent times?
Yep, just like in every other sport. But there is certainly a novelty factor attached to it. To come up with a comparable cricket fixture, it would be St Helena (World No. 94 in T20Is) facing the likes of India or South Africa. Over 10 years ago, the AIFF actively sought to improve their rankings. So they worked out that they would be better of playing against similarly ranked countries or countries ranked a few places below them. Beat them, improve their rating points and improve their ranking. It's how the Indian men's team had breached the top 100. It's partly why these friendly have attracted a lot of criticism, most notably from the likes of Bhaichung Bhutia.
What about the FIFA ASEAN Cup, a tournament India were scheduled to play in, during this window?
India withdrew from it as the AIFF prioritised this trio of friendlies. Bangladesh were invited and they gleefully accepted it.