As the 2026 World Cup reached its final week on July 28, Indian soccer fans like Gourav Roy, a software engineer in San Francisco, experienced the tournament from afar, having driven over 6,000 miles across the United States to attend the semi-finals and final. For Roy, witnessing India play in the World Cup remains a distant dream.

India, with a population of 1.45 billion, is ranked 138th globally in soccer and failed to qualify for the upcoming Asian Cup. This stands in stark contrast to smaller nations such as Curacao and Cape Verde, which secured spots in the 2026 World Cup.

Experts attribute India's struggles to systemic problems including poor youth development, lack of popularity, and a fragmented national federation (AIFF) that faces challenges in implementing a cohesive vision across state associations. Some youth players are called up to national camps after participating in fewer than 20 competitive matches.

The Indian Super League (ISL), launched in 2014 with backing from Reliance Industries, has attempted to improve the sport's status but with limited success. Ravi Puskur, CEO of ISL club FC Goa, told Reuters, "If you ask me, to clean up the system and reorganise it will take a full cycle of four years." He added that after this, it could take another 20-25 years for India to reach the World Cup.

Lalnghinglova Hmar, AIFF executive committee member and Mizoram's sports minister, emphasized that while government support can improve infrastructure, a drastic overhaul of the youth development system is essential for progress.

Despite the challenges, there is cautious optimism with the expansion to a 64-team World Cup. "It won't gift us anything, but more places mean more hope," a source said.

Indian football fans have learned to "love without expectation," reflecting the long road ahead for the sport in the country. Stakeholders agree that a collective effort involving the federation, clubs, state associations, government, and corporate India is necessary to foster meaningful change.

Sources