India will begin a demanding run of international friendlies when they face Panama at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Friday, September 25. The fixture marks the first-ever senior international meeting between the two countries and gives Khalid Jamil’s side an immediate examination against opposition that featured at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The match will kick off at 7:30 PM IST. The game was originally scheduled for September 26 before being brought forward by a day. India are ranked 138th in the FIFA rankings, while Panama sit 44th, leaving 94 places between the teams. The national team last played there during the 2023 SAFF Championship, remaining unbeaten across five matches on their way to the title. Their previous 14 such matches have produced two victories, two draws and 10 defeats.
It nevertheless remains the opening assignment in a formidable sequence for India, who are also due to face Brazil on October 3 and Uruguay on October 6. It will be broadcast live on the Sony Sports Network and Sony Aath, while viewers can stream the game on Sony LIV. Tickets for the Bengaluru fixture have been made available through District. The gulf on paper is considerable. Jamil has nevertheless indicated that India will not approach the game merely as an exercise in containment. “We are playing against a strong team. But at the same time, you cannot defend every time. So, we will mix defence and attack. Kanteerava itself carries happier recent memories for India. India scored eight goals and conceded only twice during that tournament before defeating Kuwait on penalties in the final. Gurpreet, in particular, knows the venue intimately through his club career, while Williams also plays his domestic football there. Panama, however, represent a very different challenge from the teams India encountered during that SAFF campaign. Friday’s fixture will be India’s eighth different CONCACAF opponent and their 15th match against a team from the confederation.
We will react according to the situation,” the India head coach said ahead of the fixture.
Christiansen acknowledged before the match that Panama would enter as favourites on paper, but the fixture offers India an opportunity to measure themselves against a side accustomed to facing significantly higher-ranked opposition.
