India-Brazil friendly tickets sell out within minutes
Five-time world champions will take on hosts in Kolkata on October 3
India’s football fortunes may be struggling, but the prospect of watching Brazil play in the country has sparked extraordinary interest, with tickets for next month’s high-profile friendly selling out within minutes of going on sale.
Within 20 minutes, the majority of tickets, particularly those in the non-premium categories priced between Rs 1,000 and Rs 5,000, had been snapped up. Demand was so high that fans were placed in a virtual queue, reminiscent of the rush for IPL tickets.
Five-time world champions Brazil, currently ranked fifth in the FIFA rankings, will take on India at the 85,000-capacity Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on October 3. The match will mark the first appearance of Brazil’s senior men’s national team in India, making it one of the biggest fixtures in the history of Indian football.
For India, ranked 138th in the world, it will also be their highest-ranked opposition since the FIFA World Ranking system was introduced in 1992.
Strong demand
Premium tickets, priced between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000, were also in strong demand, while the cheapest tickets started at Rs 999. With the stadium expected to be packed, Kolkata is preparing for a spectacle unlike any seen in Indian football in recent years.
There is also plenty of optimism for fans hoping to see Brazil’s biggest stars. An AIFF official has indicated that Brazil are expected to bring their full-strength squad, subject to injuries. That could put the likes of Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo and Endrick on the pitch, with Carlo Ancelotti at the helm.
The match will be Brazil’s first fixture in the FIFA international window following the 2026 World Cup. The Brazilian Football Confederation has said the games against Australia and India will be used as part of its preparations and player evaluation ahead of the 2028 Copa America and 2030 World Cup.
India, meanwhile, are treating the Brazil encounter as part of a much bigger test.
Head coach Khalid Jamil has named a 26-member squad for a demanding sequence of three international friendlies against Panama, Brazil and Uruguay. India will open the run against Panama in Bengaluru on September 26 before travelling to Kolkata for the Brazil clash on October 3. Just three days later, on October 6, the Blue Tigers will meet two-time world champions Uruguay at the same Salt Lake Stadium.
