India national futsal team explained

The Indian national futsal team represents India in international futsal competitions. The team is controlled by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and is governed in Asia by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). India made its debut against Bahrain in an international friendly on 12 August 2023. The 2024 AFC Futsal Asian Cup qualification was their first international competition which was held in October 2023.

History

Formation, debut and first tournament

On 10 December 2019, the then AIFF Executive Committee decided that a futsal club competition would be part of their calendar from 2020–21 season onwards.^[3] The club championship, that was conceptualized in 2019, was held for the first time in November 2021 and followed by the second edition in February 2023.^{[4] [5]} Based on the performance of the players in Futsal Club Championship, AIFF scouts selected a 31 members squad for the national team camp for creating the India national futsal team.^{[6] [7]} Victor Hermans as futsal advisor in May 2023, and Joshuah Vaz as head coach in July 2023, were appointed to guide the team for India's first participation in major tournament, the qualification competition for the 2024 AFC Futsal Asian Cup.^{[8] [9]}

In August 2023, the AIFF announced that India would play two international friendlies against Bahrain as a preparation for the AFC Futsal Asian Cup qualification. A fourteen members squad of the first ever India national team was announced.^[10] The team made its debut in a 3–0 loss against Bahrain at Khalifa Sports City Hall in Isa Town on 12 August 2023.^[11] In the second match on 14 August, India were defeated again by Bahrain with a bigger scoreline of 4–0.^[12]

India were drawn in Group E of the Asian Cup qualification where they faced Tajikistan, Myanmar and Palestine, from 2 to 13 October 2023.^[10] In the first match against Tajikistan, India lost 3–6 to the host. David Laltlansanga scored all the goals, thus becoming the first ever goalscorer, as well as scoring the first ever hat-trick for the national team.^[13] India again suffered loss in the next two matches, 2–5 to Myanmar and 5–6 to Palestine, thus failing to qualify for the 2024 AFC Futsal Asian Cup. K. Roluahpuia and Nikhil Mali scored twice each, while Laltlansanga scored six goals in this qualifying edition.^{[14] [15]}

Competitive record

FIFA Futsal World Cup

See also: FIFA Futsal World Cup.

FIFA Futsal World Cup record
Year	Result	Position
1989 – 2020	Did not enter
2024	Did not qualify
Total	0/1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

AFC Futsal Asian Cup

AFC Futsal Asian Cup record										Qualification record
Year	Result	Position
1999 – 2022	Did not enter
2024	Did not qualify									3	0	0	3	10	17
Total	0/1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		3	0	0	3	10	17

Results and fixtures

Overall results

Players

Caps and goals are correct as of 14 August 2023, after the match against .

See also

• India women's national futsal team
• Futsal Club Championship
• Futsal Association of India
• Football in India
• History of Indian football
• Sport in India

Notes and References

1. Rankings change compared to the previous year's December ranking. "Futsal World Ranking"
2. https://digitalhub.fifa.com/m/6371c7172bf2d465/original/Men-s-Futsal-World-Ranking.pdf FIFA Men's Futsal Ranking
3. Web site: Futsal club championship to kick-off from 2020 season . 31 May 2020 . the-aiff.com . 13 December 2019 . 5 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211105193815/https://www.the-aiff.com/article/futsal-club-championship-to-kick-off-from-2020-season . live .
4. News: Inaugural edition of Futsal Championship to kick-off in New Delhi on November 5 . 14 August 2023 . Asian News International . 14 October 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230311054518/https://www.aninews.in/news/sports/football/inaugural-edition-of-futsal-championship-to-kick-off-in-new-delhi-on-november-520211014221904/ . 11 March 2023.
5. Web site: Hero Futsal Club Championship 2022-23 . the-aiff.com . 1 February 2023 . 1 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230201113804/https://www.the-aiff.com/calendar?event=63&month=0&year=2023 . live .
6. Web site: Federation names 31 probables for National Futsal camp . the-aiff.com . 14 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230603190718/https://www.the-aiff.com/article/federation-names-31-probables-for-national-futsal-camp . 3 June 2023 . 30 April 2023.
7. Web site: Ghosh . Soumo . A new beginning: Coach Joshuah Vaz and boys look to 'punch above the weight' in international futsal . the-aiff.com . 14 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230811213038/https://www.the-aiff.com/article/a-new-beginning-coach-joshuah-vaz-and-boys-look-to-punch-above-the-weight-in-international-futsal . 11 August 2023 . 9 August 2023.
8. News: Joshua appointed AIFF’s Futsal head coach for AFC Asian Cup . 14 August 2023 . Herald Goa . 8 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230709155327/https://www.heraldgoa.in/Sports/Joshua-appointed-AIFF%E2%80%99s-Futsal-head-coach-for-AFC-Asian-Cup/207198 . 9 July 2023.
9. Web site: Rawat . Akhil . Boost for futsal in India as Dutch legend Vic Hermans joins as consultant . the-aiff.com . 14 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230509195457/https://www.the-aiff.com/article/boost-for-futsal-in-india-as-dutch-legend-vic-hermans-joins-as-consultant . 9 May 2023 . 20 February 2023.
10. Web site: Indian Futsal Team to make international debut against Bahrain . the-aiff.com . 10 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230807142142/https://www.the-aiff.com/article/indian-futsal-team-to-make-international-debut-against-bahrain . 7 August 2023 . 6 August 2023.
11. Web site: India go down to Bahrain on international futsal debut . the-aiff.com . 14 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230814061213/https://www.the-aiff.com/article/india-go-down-to-bahrain-on-international-futsal-debut . 14 August 2023 . 12 August 2023.
12. Web site: India lose second international futsal friendly against Bahrain . the-aiff.com . 15 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230815042310/https://www.the-aiff.com/article/india-lose-second-international-futsal-friendly-against-bahrain . 15 August 2023 . 14 August 2023.
13. Web site: India bow to experienced Tajikistan despite David's deliveries . www.the-aiff.com . 5 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231009173643/https://www.the-aiff.com/article/india-bow-to-experienced-tajikistan-despite-davids-deliveries . 9 October 2023 . 7 October 2023 . live.
14. Web site: Fighting India beaten by Myanmar, suffer second successive AFC Futsal Asian Cup Qualifiers loss . www.the-aiff.com . 5 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231009174846/https://www.the-aiff.com/article/fighting-india-beaten-by-myanmar-suffer-second-successive-afc-futsal-asian-cup-qualifiers-loss . 9 October 2023 . 9 October 2023 . live.
15. Web site: India go down to Palestine in a futsal cliff-hanger . www.the-aiff.com . 5 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231013205009/https://www.the-aiff.com/article/india-go-down-to-palestine-in-a-futsal-cliff-hanger . 13 October 2023 . 11 October 2023 . live.