India are set to face Cape Verde in the upcoming FIFA international window, which will take place from September 21 to October 6. This will be the latest addition to the men’s national team’s schedule for the upcoming window.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has already confirmed the friendly against , which will take place on October 3 in Kolkata.
According to sources close to the Cape Verdean Football Federation, talks with the AIFF are in their final phase, but some formalities still need to be ironed out.
“There are some formalities left, and we are in the last stage of talks”, the source said.
Cape Verde: FIFA World Cup debutants
Cape Verde made their debut at the recently concluded 2026 FIFA World Cup, and surprised everyone with their fairytale-like performance. The African island nation drew to eventual champions Spain 0-0 in their opener, courtesy of heroics from goalkeeper Vozinha.
Then they drew to Uruguay 2-2, followed by a goalless stalemate against Saudi Arabia in Group H. Qualifying for the Round of 32, they almost shocked 2022 winners Argentina, holding Lionel Messi and Co. to a 1-1 draw through regular time, before eventually falling to a 2-3 defeat in extra time.
The deadline for confirming Cape Verde, Uruguay friendlies
The deadline for confirming the friendlies against Cape Verde and Uruguay is August 31; by then, the AIFF must submit their formal match requests to FIFA for the upcoming international window.
The decision to face Brazil led the AIFF to withdraw from the FIFA ASEAN Cup, which will take place from September 24 to October 4. Initially, the AIFF requested that FIFA allow a second-string squad to compete in the tournament. But after FIFA rejected the request, the federation decided to pull out and risk paying a hefty fine. According to FIFA regulations, as decided by its disciplinary committee.
The decision to withdraw from the ASEAN Cup has also received criticism from football fans in the country, as many feel that the tournament would have been better for the national team’s development.