The Indian men’s national football team will travel to New Zealand to play two friendly matches against the hosts on November 12 and 15, 2026, during the FIFA international match window, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced.
The first match is scheduled at the Go Media Stadium in Auckland, followed by the second at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch. These fixtures were announced as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to New Zealand and are among several sporting events planned to commemorate 100 years of unity through sport between the two countries.
India and New Zealand have met twice previously: a goalless draw in the 1981 Merdeka Tournament in Malaysia, and a 2-1 win for India in the 2018 Intercontinental Cup held in Mumbai.
This tour will mark the Indian men’s national team’s first visit to New Zealand and their first engagement with an OFC member nation since 2005, when India played two friendlies against Fiji.
New Zealand recently appeared in the FIFA World Cup 2026, drawing with Iran and losing to Egypt and Belgium.
India head coach Khalid Jamil stated, “It is always a positive experience to face teams that compete at the highest level. New Zealand are a well-organised side with recent FIFA World Cup experience, and playing away from home against them will be a valuable challenge for our players. We are looking forward to the matches.”
Blue Tigers’ fixtures in November:
Thursday, November 12: New Zealand vs India (Go Media Stadium, Auckland)
Sunday, November 15: New Zealand vs India (One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch)