The Brazil national football team could be set to return to India for the first time in years, with Kolkata emerging as the likely host for an international friendly during the October FIFA window.
According to a report by ESPN Brasil, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) is in advanced negotiations to schedule a third friendly in India in early October, in addition to the two matches already confirmed against Australia on September 25 in Townsville and September 29 in Brisbane. The opposition for the proposed India fixture is yet to be finalised.
The report added that Kolkata has been identified as the venue, with talks between the CBF and local organisers beginning during the recently concluded FIFA World Cup in the United States.
The proposed fixture is understood to have been driven by the overwhelming support Brazil received from football fans in Kolkata during the World Cup. Images of thousands of supporters wearing Brazil’s iconic yellow shirts flooded social media throughout the tournament, while neighbourhoods across the city celebrated the Selecao’s campaign despite India not being part of the competition.
Only the final details remain before the agreement is formalised and contracts are signed, according to the report.
The friendly is expected to be part of FIFA’s expanded international calendar, with the new “Super FIFA window” allowing national teams up to 16 days to play as many as four matches, including both competitive fixtures and friendlies.
The report also stated that the CBF intends to organise more home friendlies in 2027, taking the national team to Brazilian cities that have rarely hosted international matches in recent years.
KOLKATA DECKED UP IN BRAZIL COLOURS
For decades, Kolkata has been regarded as the heartland of Indian football, and this year’s World Cup once again showed why.
During the world tournament, large parts of the city transformed into a sea of yellow and green. Murals of Neymar and Vinicius Junior appeared across north Kolkata, while giant cut-outs of football stars and colourful street art celebrated the World Cup in neighbourhoods known for their football culture.
One of the biggest attractions was the now-famous “FIFA Gully” in the Beniatola area, where residents decorated an entire lane with portraits of football’s biggest stars, flags and World Cup-themed artwork.
The initiative, which began during the 2014 World Cup with newspaper clippings pasted on walls, has since grown into one of Kolkata’s most recognisable football landmarks. Built entirely by local residents without commercial sponsorship, the lane has become a symbol of the city’s enduring love affair with the sport.
“Kolkata is the mecca of football,” Sourav Ghosal, a resident of the neighbourhood, told Reuters during the World Cup.
The city’s football heritage stretches back more than a century through iconic clubs Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting. Although India have never qualified for the FIFA World Cup and currently sit well outside football’s elite, generations of supporters in Kolkata have adopted footballing powerhouses such as Brazil and Argentina as their own during international tournaments.
That passion appears to have left a lasting impression on Brazil’s football federation.
If the proposed friendly is finalised, it would bring one of world football’s most decorated national teams to a city that has spent generations celebrating the Selecao from afar, offering thousands of Indian fans the opportunity to watch Brazil in person.
– Ends
