The Indian national football team are all set to face Kuwait for their penultimate second-round Group A match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 AFC qualifiers at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Thursday, June 6.

The IND vs KUW FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match will be available on live stream as well as live telecast on TV channels in India and the match will begin at 7:00 PM (IST).

The upcoming match will also be an emotional one for Indian football fans as the team’s captain, leader, and legend Sunil Chhetri, who will be hanging up his boots on the international stage after the clash against Kuwait.

A fundamental part of the Indian footballing setup for almost two decades, Chhetri will be eager to bow out on a high, especially considering the significance of Thursday’s clash against Kuwait, which is a must-win for India to keep their hopes of qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup alive.

Currently second in Group A with four points from as many games, the Blues Tigers lead third place Afghanistan courtesy of a better goal difference and fourth place Kuwait by a point. Meanwhile, Qatar has secured top spot in the group with 12 points after four games.

Since the top two teams from every group makes it through to the third round of the qualifiers while also securing direct qualification to the AFC Asian Cup 2027, India’s clash against Kuwait is a must-win for the Blue Tigers.

Furthermore, with Qatra awaiting India in their final group A match, it is imperative that the hosts get a win in Kolkata to consolidate their hold on second spot in the group. Anything other than a win will severely affect India’s qualification chances.

Needless to say, India will fancy their chances against Kuwait having gotten the better of them in their earlier meeting in Group A, which the Blue Tigers won 1-0 away from home. While India are currently ranked 121st in the FIFA rankings, Kuwait find themselves in the 139th spot.

Igor Stimac’s men boast an advantage in the India vs Kuwait head-to-head between the teams with India winning three of the six matches between these sides. Kuwait have won twice against India while one match ended in a draw.

Kuwait, on the other hand, will be hoping that they can get the better of India and keep their bleak qualification hopes alive as they bid to avenge their defeat in the reverse fixture in the group where Manvir Singh netted the solitary goal for India in a 1-0 win.

Where to watch India vs Kuwait FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers live

Live telecast of the India vs Kuwait FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers will be available on the Sports 18 1, Sports 18 1 HD and Sports 18 3 TV channels in India.

Live streaming of the IND vs KUW football match will be available on the JioCinema website and app in India.

India squad vs Kuwait

Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Amrinder Singh, Vishal Kaith

Defenders: Amey Ranawade, Anwar Ali, Jay Gupta, Lalchungnunga, Mehtab Singh, Narender, Nikhil Poojary, Rahul Bheke, Subhasish Bose

Midfielders: Anirudh Thapa, Brandon Fernandes, Edmund Lalrindika, Jeakson Singh Thounaojam, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Liston Colaco, Mahesh Singh Naorem, Nandhakumar Sekar, Sahal Abdul Samad, Suresh Singh Wangjam

Forwards: David Lalhlansanga, Manvir Singh, Rahim Ali, Sunil Chhetri, Vikram Partap Singh

Photo credit: Alamy