India gears up for friendlies against Tajikistan

India U23 men's football team is in Tajikistan for friendlies against the hosts and Kyrgyz Republic as part of preparations for the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers in September

Hyderabad: The India under-23 men’s team has arrived in Tajikistan to play two friendly matches against the hosts and Kyrgyz Republic.

The Blue Colts will first take on Tajikistan on Wednesday, June 18, at the Hisor Central Stadium at 8.30 pm.

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Led by head coach Naushad Moosa, the India U23s had been camping in Kolkata since June 1 before travelling to the Central Asian nation. After landing in the capital, Dushanbe, on Monday evening, Moosa’s 23-member squad had a mobility session on Tuesday morning and will hold a 90-minute training session in the evening. On June 21, India will meet Kyrgyz Republic in the second game.

“The boys are very eager for tomorrow. I’ve been talking to them about how important these games will be for us,” said Moosa, for whom it’s his second tour with the U23 team, after coaching them in two friendlies against Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur last year.

For the Blue Colts, these matches in Tajikistan are part of their preparations for the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers, to be held in September. India will face Bahrain, Qatar, and Brunei Darussalam as they aim to qualify for the U23 continental event for the first time.

“The weather is pretty warm. It’s normal for us. It’s always good to have supporters in the stands. We would love to have them cheer for us. Most of our players are coming here for the first time, so it would be great motivation for them. I think the last time the Indian senior team played in Tajikistan, there were a lot of Indian fans in the stadium, so let’s hope for the same,” said the 53-year-old.

“We know Tajikistan is a strong team. They qualified for the U23 Asian Cup last year and also did well at the senior Asian Cup. The players will, of course, be different tomorrow. The coach has changed. We just have to go out there and do our job right,” said Moosa.