Indian Men's Football Team to Play Two Friendlies in New Zealand in November 2026

HYDERABAD — The Indian men’s national football team is set to tour New Zealand for the first time in history to play two friendly matches on November 12 and 15, 2026, during the FIFA International Match Window.

The first match of the tour will be hosted at the Go Media Stadium in Auckland on November 12, while the second game will take place at the One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch on November 15. The bilateral friendly matches were officially announced in connection with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to New Zealand. The fixtures are organised as part of a series of sporting events to celebrate '100 Years of Unity Through Sport' between the two countries.

This tour represents India’s first-ever football visit to New Zealand. It also marks the national team’s first trip to an Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) member nation in over two decades, with the last such visit occurring in 2005 for two international friendlies against Fiji.

Historically, India and New Zealand have played against each other only twice. Their first encounter ended in a goalless draw during the 1981 Merdeka Tournament in Malaysia. Their most recent meeting took place at the 2018 Intercontinental Cup in Mumbai, where New Zealand walked away with a 2-1 victory over the hosts.

New Zealand will enter the November matches following their participation in the FIFA World Cup 2026, where they drew with IR Iran and suffered defeats against Egypt and Belgium.

Indian head coach Khalid Jamil welcomed the announcement, highlighting the significance of the upcoming fixtures for the development of his squad. Jamil noted that facing a well-organised team with recent World Cup experience on their home turf would provide a valuable challenge for the Indian players. He stated that it is always a positive experience to face teams that compete at the highest level and added that the squad is looking forward to the matches.