One of the most talked-about selections is “Ryan Williams”, the Australia-born winger who recently received his Indian passport.
Khalid Jamil Names 23-Member Squad for Bangladesh Clash; Ryan Williams Included Pending Final Clearances
India head coach Khalid Jamil has announced the official 23-member travelling squad for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifier against Bangladesh. It is scheduled for November 18 in Dhaka.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) released the squad list on its official website.
According to the AIFF, the national team has been training in Bengaluru since November 6 and will fly to Dhaka ahead of the final Group C match. While India’s qualification hopes are already over, head coach Jamil is treating this game as an important step in rebuilding a team in transition.
India’s elimination from the qualification race is officially confirmed—AIFF had earlier stated that India was “knocked out of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualification race after the defeat to Singapore” on October 14. * (Source: AIFF press release)
One of the most talked-about selections is “Ryan Williams”, the Australia-born winger who recently received his Indian passport. As reported by journalist “Marcus Mergulhao”, Williams has “been included in the squad”, but his availability for match day will depend on mandatory approvals — specifically, a No Objection Certificate from “Football Australia”, followed by clearances from “FIFA” and the “AFC”. His status remains “pending approvals”, even though he is part of the travelling team.
Several experienced players—including “Gurpreet Singh Sandhu”, “Sandesh Jhingan”, and “Rahul Bheke”—have retained their places. The squad continues to evolve after the departure of long-time captain “Sunil Chhetri”, whose absence in the current qualifying cycle has been widely reported by “India Today” and “NDTV Sports”.
India entered the match on the back of a strong “6–1 win over Bhutan” in a closed-door friendly — a morale boost the team hoped to carry into Dhaka.
Full Squad (As Published by AIFF)
Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Hrithik Tiwari, Sahil
Defenders: Akash Mishra, Anwar Ali, Bikash Yumnam, Hmingthanmawia Ralte, Jay Gupta, Pramveer, Rahul Bheke, Sandesh Jhingan
Midfielders: Brison Fernandes, Lalremtluanga Fanai, Macarton Louis Nickson, Mahesh Singh Naorem, Nikhil Prabhu, Suresh Singh Wangjam
Forwards: Edmund Lalrindika, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Mohammed Sanan, Rahim Ali, Ryan Williams, Vikram Partap Singh
The match will kick off at 7:30 PM IST on November 18, and the AIFF has confirmed it will stream live on FanCode.
