Khalid Jamil names India's preliminary squad for Unity Cup 2026 in London
(Courtesy : AIFF Media)
A mix of experience and youthful flair in Khalid’s list of probable players for the Indian Football Team.
Indian senior men’s national team head coach Khalid Jamil, on Thursday, May 14, 2026, announced the 28-member preliminary squad for Unity Cup 2026.
The Blue Tigers are set to assemble in Bengaluru for a brief camp after the completion of the Indian Super League 2025-26 before flying off to London on May 24 for the Unity Cup.
India head coach Khalid Jamil will assess the players during the brief camp, before selecting the final squad of 23 that will travel to London for the Unity Cup.
India (136th in FIFA rankings) will play Jamaica (ranked 71st) in the second semi-final on May 27 midnight (May 28 in IST), 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.
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.
As the national team is back in action after two months, we take a look at the list of probables announced by the AIFF for the Unity Cup 2026 fixtures in South East London.
Who had made it to the preliminary squad for the Unity Cup?
Similar to the squad named for the last Hong Kong clash, Khalid chose experienced keepers like Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Vishal Kaith and Albino Gomes. FC Goa custodian Hrithik Tiwari is also included in the probable list, as he is one of the leading contenders to win the ISL Golden Gloves.
Khalid picked experienced defenders, including the likes of Sandesh Jhinghan, Rahul Bheke, Nikhil Poojary and Akash Mishra, while also giving opportunities to young talents like Pramveer and Roshan Singh Naorem in the squad alongside Anwar Ali and Bijoy Varghese.
Apart from the exception of Danish Farooq Bhat, Khalid picked the same midfielders who made it to the final squad against Hong Kong. Mohun Bagan midfielder Anirudh Thapa is back in the national team probables, whereas new names like Noufal and Ricky Shabong have also been added.
Anirudh Thapa has featured in almost every game for the Mariners and will be hoping to don the national team colours again alongside his Mohun Bagan teammates Sahal and Apuia.
Debutant Ryan Williams, who scored four minutes after wearing the Indian football team jersey for the first time against Hong Kong, has been selected. Despite a tough season, Rahim Ali has made five goal contributions for the Juggernauts and finds himself back in the probables.
Apart from picking up regular starters like Edmund Lalrindika, Farukh Choudhary, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Liston Colaco, and Manvir Singh, Suhail Ahmed Bhat has also been selected in the list of probables. Unlocking Jamaican defence won’t be an easy task for the Indian strikers, but Khalid’s men must find ways to score goals.
Overall, the list of probable looks like a very balanced squad combining the experience of veterans and the youth flair of new in-form faces, who are hungry to impress and shine on the bigger stage.
India’s preliminary squad for Unity Cup 2026
Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Vishal Kaith, Hrithik Tiwari, Albino Gomes
Defenders: Rahul Bheke, Nikhil Poojary, Roshan Singh Naorem, Abhishek Singh Tekcham, Anwar Ali, Sandesh Jhingan, Akash Mishra, Bijoy Varghese, Pramveer
Midfielders: Ashique Kuruniyan, Lalengmawia Ralte, Sahal Abdul Samad, Anirudh Thapa, Jeakson Singh Thounaojam, Noufal PN, Ricky Shabong
Forwards: Ryan Williams, Manvir Singh, Liston Colaco, Suhail Ahmad Bhat, Edmund Lalrindika, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Rahim Ali, Farukh Choudhary
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.
Where to buy the tickets for the Unity Cup 2026 matches?
The tickets for the semi-final games of the Unity Cup 2026 are now available exclusively on the official unitycup.com website.
Who is the opponent of India in the Unity Cup 2026?
India will face Jamaica on 28th May at 00:00 IST in the semifinal.
For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.
In addition to writing articles on World and Indian Football, Saikat has also covered tournaments like the Durand Cup, Indian Super League, and Hockey India League. Notably, his exceptional communication skills have seen him interview legendary icons like Olympic 2024 gold medalist Yibbi Jansen, former Real Madrid player Javi Hernandez, and many more such sporting stalwarts.