India national futsal team

The India national futsal team represents India in international futsal competitions. The team is controlled by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and is governed in Asia by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

India made its debut against Bahrain in an international friendly on 12 August 2023. The 2024 AFC Futsal Asian Cup qualification was their first international competition which was held in October 2023.

History

Formation, debut and first tournament

On 10 December 2019, the then AIFF Executive Committee decided that a futsal club competition would be part of their calendar from 2020–21 season onwards. The club championship, that was conceptualized in 2019, was held for the first time in November 2021 and followed by the second edition in February 2023. Based on the performance of the players in Futsal Club Championship, AIFF scouts selected a 31 members squad for the national team camp for creating the India national futsal team. Victor Hermans as futsal advisor in May 2023, and Joshuah Vaz as head coach in July 2023, were appointed to guide the team for India's first participation in major tournament, the qualification competition for the 2024 AFC Futsal Asian Cup.

In August 2023, the AIFF announced that India would play two international friendlies against Bahrain as a preparation for the AFC Futsal Asian Cup qualification. A fourteen members squad of the first ever India national team was announced. The team made its debut in a 3–0 loss against Bahrain at Khalifa Sports City Hall in Isa Town on 12 August 2023. In the second match on 14 August, India were defeated again by Bahrain with a bigger scoreline of 4–0.

India were drawn in Group E of the Asian Cup qualification where they faced Tajikistan, Myanmar and Palestine, from 2 to 13 October 2023. In the first match against Tajikistan, India lost 3–6 to the host. David Laltlansanga scored all the goals, thus becoming the first ever goalscorer, as well as scoring the first ever hat-trick for the national team. India again suffered loss in the next two matches, 2–5 to Myanmar and 5–6 to Palestine, thus failing to qualify for the 2024 AFC Futsal Asian Cup. K. Roluahpuia and Nikhil Mali scored twice each, while Laltlansanga scored six goals in this qualifying edition.