Chinglensana singh konsham

FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: After a heartbreaking exit in the second round of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in June, it's time to start from scratch for India under newly-appointed head coach Manolo Marquez.

The long-term target is, of course, qualification for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, which is set to begin in March 2025. Marquez has stressed on the importance of obtaining good results in the upcoming three FIFA International Match Windows to keep India's place in Pot 1 ahead of December's draw.

“We face two different teams and the rankings are not very important. We want to be in Pot 1. That would give us an advantage. We must play competitive games to improve. We all need to work together in the same direction to find the correct group of players and their predisposition will be very good, something I am completely sure about," said Marquez.