Maldives have requested the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to change the venue for their international friendly against India from Shillong to any other place from where they can take a convenient flight to Philippines. India and Maldives are both preparing for the final round of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers. Kolkata is being talked about as an alternative venue for the friendly, but there was no confirmation till Friday evening. India have been drawn in Group C of the Asian Cup qualifiers final round, alongside Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangladesh. The teams will play each other twice in a home-and-away round-robin format till March 2026 with the group winners qualifying for the continental showpiece. The 15,000-seater arena has hosted matches in domestic tournaments and leagues, like Durand Cup, Indian Super League (ISL) and I-League. This is the first time that ShillONG was handpicked to host senior men’s international matches after the stadium was refurbished last year. The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillongs, Meghalaya, will host the India senior men’s national team in the two matches that they will play during the March FIFA international window.
