New Delhi: India's senior men’s national team, as part of their preparation for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers Final Round, will participate in the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) Nations Cup 2025, scheduled to be held from August 31 to September 8.

Central Asian Football Association has invited India to take part in the tournament after Malaysia withdrew from the tournament, which is outside the official FIFA calendar, due to logistical challenges and the unavailability of players.

India have been drafted into the biennial Central Asian tournament, jointly hosted by Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, and have been placed in Group B, which will be played in Dushanbe. India will play hosts Tajikistan on August 29), Iran on September 1) and Afghanistan on September 4.

The top two teams from each group will progress to the play-off stage, which will see two matches being played on September 8. The third-place match will be played between the two group runners-up in Dushanbe, while the two group winners will play the final in Tashkent.

Group A will be hosted by Uzbekistan, who are drawn alongside Kyrgyz Republic, Turkmenistan, and Oman in Tashkent.

CAFA has six members — Afghanistan, Islamic Republic of Iran, Kygryz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Oman and India are the two invited sides for the second edition of the CAFA Nations Cup. IR Iran are the defending champions, having beaten Uzbekistan 1-0 in the 2023 final.

India suffered a heartbreaking 0-1 away defeat to Hong Kong in their first match AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers Final Round. India's four remaining fixtures are away and home to Singapore (October 9 and 14, respectively), away to Bangladesh (November 18) and at home to Hong Kong, China (March 31, 2026).

--IANS

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CAFA Nations Cup 2025 Draw

Group A: Uzbekistan (H), Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Oman.

Group B: Tajikistan (H), Iran, Afghanistan, India.

India's match schedule:

August 29: Tajikistan vs India

September 1: India vs IR Iran

September 4: Afghanistan vs India

(ians)