International football returns to Assam after a gap of four years as Guwahati hosts the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers match between India and Afghanistan at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium on Tuesday.
The match on March 26 in Guwahati will mark the 150th International match for India captain Sunil Chhetri.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) also announced that they will felicitate the Indian star on the sidelines of their return leg clash against Afghanistan in Guwahati.
While speaking to reporters, General Secretary of Assam Football Association, Dr Sangrang Brahma said, “It’s a proud moment for us that we have been given the responsibility of this very prestigious (FIFA) World Cup qualifying match in Guwahati.”
“The preparation is in full swing. The stadium that we have has 24,000 capacity so I request all the football lovers of the northeast to come and support the Indian team”, Brahma added.
Earlier on Sunday, Brahma stated that the Nehru Stadium will be rebuilt and transformed into a 30,000 seater exclusive football venue with world-class facilities.
He further informed that the association also plans to set up 10 football academies in the state for developing grassroot level football.
On Saturday, the Blue Tigers arrived to a warm welcome in Guwahati for their FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup 2027 Preliminary Joint Qualification match against Afghanistan.
The Blue Tigers currently stand second in the group with four points from three games, one ahead of Kuwait, who are on three points from as many matches.
