Depleted 19-member India squad fly to London for Unity Cup 2026

The Indian team will leave for London on May 24th.

Indian senior football team head coach Khalid Jamil has been handed a major selection headache ahead of the Unity Cup 2026 after the national team squad was reduced to just 19 available players hours before departure.

Seven players from Mohun Bagan Super Giant withdrew from the camp despite reporting earlier, while defender Anwar Ali was also ruled out through injury.

The Indian team are scheduled to leave for London via Dubai around 4 AM on Sunday, but Khalid Jamil’s plans for his first international assignment have already suffered a massive blow. The sudden withdrawals have left the coaching staff with limited options as India prepare for the tournament in the United Kingdom.

Any new player additions for the Unity Cup are unlikely now, as fresh visa applications can only be filed on Monday and would take a minimum of 48 hours, though Khalid Jamil could call up new faces for the June international window friendlies against Tajikistan. #IndianFootball

— Ashish Negi (@7negiashish) May 23, 2026

Goalkeeper Hritik Tiwari, who won the Golden Glove with FC Goa this season, is expected to link up with Khalid Jamil’s squad. However, due to the short turnaround before departure, he may have to travel separately.

India (136th in FIFA rankings) will play Jamaica (ranked 71st) in the second semi-final of the Unity Cup 2026 on May 27 midnight (May 28 in IST), at The Valley in London. While Nigeria (ranked 26th) take on Zimbabwe (ranked 130th) in the first semi-final at the same time. The two losing teams will play the third-place play-off on June 30.

Mohun Bagan’s withdrawal leaves Khalid Jamil short on options

The biggest setback for India came after Mohun Bagan Super Giant ‘allegedly’ pulled all seven of their players out of the national camp despite initially releasing them. The affected players are Liston Colaco, Manvir Singh, Lalengmawia Ralte, Sahal Abdul Samad, Anirudh Thapa, Abhishek Singh and Vishal Kaith.

The club reportedly informed the players to return because the Unity Cup falls outside the official FIFA international window. Mohun Bagan officials are understood to have raised concerns over injury liability, arguing that clubs must bear rehabilitation costs if players are injured outside the protected FIFA period.

Club representatives also referred to previous injury cases involving Ashique Kuruniyan and Subhasish Bose, where the financial burden allegedly fell on the club. According to sources, the club sought assurances from the All India Football Federation over compensation, but no agreement was reached before departure.

No fresh additions expected before Unity Cup

Khalid Jamil and the Indian coaching staff are now unlikely to receive additional reinforcements before the Unity Cup due to visa timelines and travel constraints. Fresh visa applications can only begin on Monday, leaving very little chance for new players to join the squad before the tournament starts.

While emergency replacements now appear unlikely, Khalid Jamil could still look at fresh call-ups ahead of India’s June international friendlies against Tajikistan during the official FIFA window.

Despite the late turmoil, Khalid Jamil’s India side will still travel to London with a depleted group as preparations continue under difficult circumstances ahead of a crucial international outing.

This will be Khalid Jamil’s third tournament after taking over the reins as India’s head coach from Manolo Marquez. Under the former Jamshedpur FC gaffer, India clinched the bronze medal in the CAFA Nations Cup but succumbed to defeats to Bangladesh and Singapore in the Asian Cup Qualifiers.

19-Member India squad for Unity Cup

Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Hrithik Tiwari (yet to join), Albino Gomes

Defenders: Rahul Bheke, Nikhil Poojary, Roshan Singh Naorem, Sandesh Jhingan, Akash Mishra, Bijoy Varghese, Pramveer

Midfielders: Ashique Kuruniyan, Jeakson Singh Thounaojam, Noufal PN, Ricky Shabong

Forwards: Ryan Williams, Edmund Lalrindika, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Rahim Ali, Farukh Choudhary

Also Read: When will new jersey for Indian national football team be revealed?

Unity Cup 2026 Schedule:

• Semi-final One: Tuesday, May 26, 19:30 BST (00:00 IST, May 27): Nigeria vs Zimbabwe
• Semi-Final Two: Wednesday, May 27, 19:30 BST (00:00 IST, May 28): Jamaica vs India
• Final and Third-place Play-off: Saturday, May 30

Where to watch the Unity Cup 2026 live in India?

Football fans in India can watch all four matches of the Unity Cup 2026 live on FanCode. The tournament will be available for streaming not only in India, but also for viewers in Nepal and Sri Lanka, giving supporters across South Asia the chance to follow every moment of the action live.

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