Punjab FC players join depleted India camp; Bengaluru FC, East Bengal FC set to release soon

The Indian team is having a preparatory camp before the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers in October.

The Indian national team camp will be joined by players from Punjab FC, Bengaluru FC, and East Bengal FC after a week since it started. The reason behind the delay in releasing the players for the camp is unspecified, but it has affected the preparation for the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers.

With several clubs delaying as well as refusing to release players, Khalid Jamil had to arrange for provisions. The newly-appointed head coach brought in the likes of Brandon, Farukh Chaudhury and Rahim Ali, who were not named in the initial crop.

However, Khalid Jamil has been offered some relief ahead of the important qualifiers. Punjab FC players Uvais, Nikhil Prabhu, Md Suhail and Pramveer have been released on September 26 and will join the camp soon.

Punjab FC players Uvais, Nikhil Prabhu, Suhail and Pramveer have joined the national team camp in Bengaluru for the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers against Singapore! #IndianFootball #IndianFootballTeam #bluetigers pic.twitter.com/Xls5i6rHi2

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) September 26, 2025

It will be followed by East Bengal players on September 28. Bengaluru FC players will register their presence on September 29. However, Kerala Blasters FC and India U23 defender Bikash Yuman was not able to join the camp as he is suffering from Typhoid.

Currently, there are 19 players in the camp out of 33 probables who were named by Khalid Jamil earlier. The Indian team has been in training camp since September 20 in Bengaluru.

Also Read: Which ISL team has contributed most players to India’s probable squad for AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers?

Inexplicable absence

Several players did not join the camp on September 20, the date on which the camp was scheduled to start. Less than fifteen players were available for the camp in the first week, which is inexplicable considering there are no club commitments for these players.

Punjab FC players set to join the NT camp tomorrow. East Bengal players to join on 28 September. Bengaluru FC players to join on 29 September.After that, only FC Goa & Mohun Bagan players will remain unavailable due to their ACL2 commitments. #IndianFootball @KhelNow

— Ashish Negi (@7negiashish) September 26, 2025

Khalid Jamil has expressed his grievances in the past over the unavailability of players in the national team camp. Earlier, when Mohun Bagan did not release players for the camp before the CAFA Nations Cup, Khalid personally reached out to the management of the club, requesting them to release the players. However, the club cited the AFC Champions League 2 fixtures as the reason for not releasing the players.

FC Goa and Mohun Bagan players to join only in October

The AFC Champions League 2 fixtures have kept FC Goa and Mohun Bagan players busy. The Gaurs and the Mariners will be able to join the national team camp only in October, after the second matchday of the AFC Champions League 2.

Mohun Bagan will travel to Iran to play against Sepahan SC on September 30. Whereas FC Goa will also be involved in an away fixture as they lock horns with Tajikistan’s Istiklol on October 1.

Current India camp training in Bengaluru:

Goalkeepers: Amrinder Singh, Gurmeet Singh, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu

Defenders: Hmingthanmawia Ralte, Asheer Akhtar

Midfielders: Brandon Fernandes, Danish Farooq Bhat, Jithin MS, Macarton Louis Nickson, Mohammed Aimen, Vibin Mohanan

Forwards: Farukh Choudhary, Irfan Yadwad, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Manvir Singh (jr), Mohammed Sanan K, Parthib Gogoi, Rahim Ali, Vikram Partap Singh

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