Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia has criticised the All India Football Federation’s decision to prioritise the high-profile Brazil friendly, arguing that the reported cost could be better directed towards developing Indian football. He also accused AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey of misleading the government over the fixture.
Bhutia’s comments come after the All India Football Federation confirmed that India had withdrawn from the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup, choosing instead to focus on the Brazil friendly scheduled for October 3 at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium. The AIFF had initially agreed to participate in the tournament, which was to feature India alongside Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
“Spending something between Rs 50 to 70 crores for one friendly against Brazil is uncalled-for…Especially when Indian football is currently going through so much of the financial crisis. Kalyan Chaubey is simply misleading the government.”
“There wasn’t even one athlete from Bengal who figured among India’s medal winners in the recently concluded Commonwealth Games. The government should spend money on upcoming sportspersons and try building infrastructure. We would all love to watch Brazil, but not by paying such a large sum.”
The former India captain had also raised questions over the purpose of the Brazil fixture before the AIFF confirmed India’s withdrawal from the ASEAN Cup, pointing to the wider problems facing Indian football.
BHUTIA QUESTIONS BRAZIL PRIORITY
Bhutia believes India’s current circumstances make the decision to spend heavily on a single friendly difficult to justify. The former forward also highlighted the broader challenges facing the national team, including India’s struggles in the FIFA rankings and the lack of stability in domestic football.
“I’m not saying they should not come, but at this point, given the condition of Indian football, what are we looking to achieve out of this match?” Bhutia had said earlier.
“Jamshedpur FC closed (opted out of ISL), the teams are not going to the Asian Games, and our FIFA (men’s) ranking is now almost 140.”
The Brazil fixture was officially announced last month and is expected to be one of India’s biggest international matches in recent years. The AIFF is also understood to be exploring other friendlies around the same international window.
INDIA PULL OUT OF ASEAN CUP
India’s decision to withdraw from the ASEAN Cup came after the Brazil fixture created a scheduling clash. AIFF deputy secretary general M Satyanarayanan confirmed that the federation could not accommodate both commitments.
The ASEAN Cup was scheduled between September 21 and October 6, while Brazil are due to face India on October 3. The AIFF had previously considered using a separate developmental squad for the tournament but ultimately abandoned that option.
The decision means India will miss an opportunity to face several strong Southeast Asian sides in a FIFA-sanctioned competition. It also comes after India failed to qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, leaving the national team with fewer competitive fixtures against quality opposition.
With Brazil already confirmed, the AIFF now appears set to use the window for high-profile friendlies, while Bhutia has questioned whether that is the best route for Indian football at this stage.
– Ends
