The Indian men's football team is set to play an international friendly match against Vietnam on October 12. This comes after the cancellation of a planned tri-nation tournament in Vietnam. Lebanon withdrew from the tournament due to challenges in traveling out of the country amid ongoing crises.
Originally, India was scheduled to compete against Vietnam on October 9 and Lebanon on October 12 at the Thien Truong Stadium in Nam Dịnh, located about 100 kilometers from Hanoi. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced the change, confirming that the match against Vietnam will now take place on October 12, with points contributing to the FIFA Rankings.
The AIFF also requested the host federation to adjust the date of the match against Vietnam, which was initially set for October 9. In a statement, the Vietnam Football Federation mentioned Lebanon's withdrawal, noting that both the Indian team and Lebanon were the two guest teams invited to play friendly matches in Vietnam during the FIFA international window in October.
"The Lebanese team, along with the Indian team, will participate in friendly matches with Vietnam," the VFF said. "However, due to current travel difficulties from Lebanon, we are in communication with them to find suitable solutions."
Meanwhile, the Indian team will gather in Kolkata on October 5 for a training session scheduled for October 6. Head coach Manolo Marquez and his squad will depart for Vietnam on October 7. On Monday, Marquez announced a list of 26 players, with the final 23-man squad to be revealed before their trip.
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