How can Indian football team qualify for the FIFA World Cup
QUALIFYING FOR THE FIFA WORLD CUP, THE LARGEST INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT IN THE WORLD, IS A MILESTONE THAT INDIAN FOOTBALL TEAM HAS YET TO ACHIEVE
AFTER THEIR RECENT SUCCESS IN THE INTERCONTINENTAL CUP 2023, CONFIDENCE IS HIGH IN THE INDIAN NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM AS THEY HEAD INTO SAFF CHAMPIONSHIP 2023.
CURRENTLY 101ST IN THE MEN’S FIFA RANKINGS, INDIA WILL BE PLAYING PLENTY OF FOOTBALL IN 2023 WHICH IS SURE TO BODE WELL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SPORT IN THE COUNTRY.
WHILE INDIAN FOOTBALL TEAM DID QUALIFY FOR THE 1950 EDITION OF THE WORLD CUP, THE BLUE TIGERS ALSO OPTED TO WITHDRAW FROM FOOTBALL’ SHOWPIECE EVENT.
AS INDIA ARE RANKED AMONG THE TOP 20 ASIAN TEAMS IN THE FIFA RANKINGS, THEY DO NOT NEED TO BE A PART OF THE FIRST ROUND OF ASIAN QUALIFICATION FOR FIFA WORLD CUP 2026.
THEY DO, HOWEVER, NEED TO PARTICIPATE FROM THE START OF PRELIMINARY ROUND 2, WHERE 36 TEAMS WILL BE DIVIDED INTO NINE GROUPS OF FOUR SIDES EACH.
PRIOR TO THE DRAW FOR THE QUALIFIERS, THEY WILL BE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT THE HIGHER THEIR FIFA RANKING IS THE MORE POSSIBILITY THEY HAVE TO BE IN A GROUP WITH TEAMS RANKED LOWER THAN THEM.