India struggled at the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Joint Qualification campaign, suffering a 0-3 defeat to Qatar. Coach Igor Stimac admitted that Qatar is a superior team playing at a different level. Stimac emphasized that the result was not his top priority, seeking answers for future games, with changes made to the lineup to give players a last chance to impress. Despite the loss, Stimac prioritized the World Cup qualifiers over the AFC Asian Cup, highlighting the need for time to prepare for the latter tournament. As a result, India slipped to third place in their FIFA World Cup qualifiers group.
