Indian football is set to witness a new era under head coach Manolo Marquez, as he has named his 26-member provisional squad for the upcoming Intercontinental Cup. The tournament, scheduled from September 3-9 in Hyderabad, will serve as a preparatory camp for the FIFA World Cup 2026 preliminary joint qualification round 2 matches.
Among the notable inclusions is Chennaiyin FC forward Kiyan Nassiri, son of East Bengal legend Jamshid Nassiri. The 23-year-old has been in impressive form for his club and is now on the cusp of his maiden India call-up.
Also receiving their first call-ups are Mohun Bagan SG right-back Ashish Rai and East Bengal goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Singh Gill. Both players have yet to feature for the senior India team but have shown promise at the club level.
However, the squad is missing a key figure in Sandesh Jhingan. The influential centre-back is still recovering from a right knee injury sustained during India’s Asian Cup group match against Syria in January. Jhingan also missed out on selection for the team’s camp ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 preliminary joint qualification round 2 matches against Kuwait and Qatar in May.
The Intercontinental Cup will feature three teams: India, Syria, and Mauritius. India will face Mauritius on September 3 and Syria on September 9. Syria, ranked 93rd in the latest FIFA rankings, will be a formidable opponent, while Mauritius, ranked 179th, will provide a different challenge.
Marquez, who was appointed India head coach last month, is excited about his first assignment. “We are very excited about our first preparatory camp and I know it will be the same for the players,” he said. “We face two different teams and the rankings are not very important. We need to work all 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.”
The Intercontinental Cup will be the first full tournament for India after the retirement of legendary captain Sunil Chhetri. It will also be a chance for Marquez to assess his squad and prepare for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
