What happened last time India played at VYBK Stadium in Kolkata?
The Blue Tigers face Brazil on 3rd October at the VYBK Stadium.
The stage is set, as the Indian national football team gear up to play against the five-time World Champions Brazil, in a friendly match at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) in Kolkata on 3rd October 2026.
After their match against the Seleção, the Blue Tigers will play another international friendly against two-time World Champions Uruguay on 6th October. The match against Uruguay will also be played in Kolkata at the VYBK Stadium.
The VYBK Stadium is one of the most historic & largest football stadiums in India. The venue was built all the way back in 1984. Since then, it has hosted some of India’s most iconic matches.
In this article, we will look the down memory lane to see what transpired on 6th June 2024, when India played against Kuwait at the VYBK Stadium in Kolkata.
The build up to the clash
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On June 3, 2024, the Blue Tigers faced Kuwait for their second last match in round 3 of the FIFA World Cup 2026/AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifier. The match was a joint qualification game, as it was also considered under the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Preliminary Qualifiers.
The match marked two big occasions, as the all-time leading goal scorer for the Blue Tigers, Sunil Chhetri, had announced prior to the match, that it would be his last time playing for the national team. Though he would later return, it was still a huge moment in Indian football, as fans bid farewell to their legend.
The other occasion was the first full-start of Jay Gupta, who had previously only represented the national team off the bench. The match also marked the debut of Edmund Lalrindika for the Blue Tigers.
Because of what at the time was Sunil’s last dance with the Blue Tigers, the fans filled up the stadium. The match recorded an attendance of 58,921. Every player and member of the opposition team also paid their respect to the Indian legend after the match was over.
What transpired during the match
The match ended goalless but was far from an ordinary game. Both teams got a bunch of chances, but at the same time were able to show brilliant displays of defense throughout the game.
One of the first chances of the game came in the 4th minute, when Kuwaiti winger Mohammad Abdulah found himself in a 1v1 situation against Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, right in front of the goal. Despite his best attempt, the winger was unable to score as the Indian custodian rushed out and blocked the shot with his left foot.
Post this chance, Kuwait kept overwhelming the Indian defense with a barrage of long balls, but the Blue Tigers’ defense stood tall and cleared every chance away.
One of the best chances for the Blue Tigers came in the 11th minute of the game from a corner taken by Anirudh Thapa. The ball met the head of Anwar Ali but flew over the goal missing it by only a couple of inches.
The match was defined by the saves made by the goalkeepers of both India & Kuwait. Both teams played a very evenly contested 90 minutes, where the score line remained unchanged throughout the game.
For their match against Brazil, the Blue Tigers will be hoping to have a game similar to the one they had against Kuwait back in 2024. Whether or not the match ends on a positive note for India is a question only time will tell.
When did India last play at the VYBK Stadium?
India’s last match at the VYBK Stadium was on 6th June 2024, where they faced Kuwait. The match ended 0-0.
When will India next play at the VYBK Stadium?
India will play against Brazil, in a friendly match at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) in Kolkata on 3rd October.
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