India vs Uruguay Football Match 2026: Date, Venue, Players and Best Moments

Football fans in India are set for a major international friendly as India take on Uruguay in Kolkata in October 2026. The match is part of India’s high-profile FIFA international window, which also includes games against Panama and Brazil.

However, there is an important date difference to note: India will play Panama on September 26, 2026, while India vs Uruguay is scheduled for October 6, 2026. The Uruguay match will be played at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, commonly known as Salt Lake Stadium, in Kolkata, with kick-off scheduled for 7:00 PM IST.

India vs Uruguay 2026: Match Details

• Match: India vs Uruguay
• Date: October 6, 2026
• Kick-off: 7:00 PM IST
• Venue: Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata
• Competition: International Friendly
• India Head Coach: Khalid Jamil
• Uruguay Head Coach: Diego Forlán

The match will be an important international test for India because Uruguay are a two-time FIFA World Cup-winning nation. Uruguay’s new head coach Diego Forlán will also be beginning a new chapter with the national team.

India Football Team Players

India head coach Khalid Jamil announced a 26-player squad for the September-October international friendlies against Panama, Brazil and Uruguay. The squad includes experienced players as well as younger options.

India’s Goalkeepers

• Albino Gomes
• Gurpreet Singh Sandhu
• Prabhsukhan Singh Gill
• Som Kumar

India’s Defenders

• Abhishek Singh Tekcham
• Akash Mishra
• Anwar Ali
• Bijoy Varghese
• Hmingthanmawia Ralte
• Jay Gupta
• Pramveer
• Ricky Meetei Haobam

India’s Midfielders

• Anirudh Thapa
• Ashique Kuruniyan
• Farukh Choudhary
• Lalengmawia Ralte
• Macarton Nickson
• Mohammed Sanan
• Ricky Shabong
• Sahal Abdul Samad

India’s Forwards

• Edmund Lalrindika
• Irfan Yadwad
• Manvir Singh
• Rahim Ali
• Ryan Williams
• Vikram Partap Singh

Important: This is the announced squad, not a confirmed starting XI. The actual players who start against Uruguay will be decided closer to match day.

Indian Players to Watch

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu is one of India’s most experienced goalkeepers. His international experience and leadership make him an important figure in India’s defensive setup.

Anirudh Thapa

Anirudh Thapa is an experienced Indian midfielder known for his passing, movement and ability to control the tempo of the game. His experience against international opposition could be valuable against Uruguay.

Manvir Singh

Manvir Singh is an attacking option who can use his pace and physical strength to create opportunities. His ability to attack from wide areas could be important against Uruguay’s defence.

Ryan Williams

Ryan Williams adds another attacking option to India’s squad. His pace and direct style can provide India with an outlet during counter-attacking situations.

Uruguay Football Team Players

Uruguay have announced a 26-player squad for their international friendlies against Japan, South Korea and India. The squad contains several internationally experienced footballers.

Uruguay Goalkeepers

• Santiago Mele
• Cristopher Fiermarin
• Thiago Cardozo

Uruguay Defenders

• Guillermo Varela
• Nahitan Nández
• Santiago Mouriño
• Sebastián Cáceres
• Ronald Araújo
• José María Giménez
• Juan Rodríguez
• Mathías Olivera
• Juan Manuel Sanabria
• Joaquín Piquerez

Uruguay Midfielders

• Rodrigo Bentancur
• Facundo Bernal
• Lucas Torreira
• Federico Valverde
• Rodrigo Zalazar
• Brian Rodríguez
• Facundo Pellistri
• Maximiliano Araújo
• Giorgian de Arrascaeta

Uruguay Forwards

• Martín Satriano
• Federico Viñas
• Rodrigo Aguirre
• Darwin Núñez

Uruguay Players and Their Best Football Moments

Darwin Núñez

Darwin Núñez is one of Uruguay’s major attacking names. His combination of pace, movement and finishing has made him an important international forward. His performances at club level in Europe and his role with Uruguay have been among the major highlights of his career.

Ronald Araújo

Ronald Araújo is known for his defensive strength, pace and one-on-one ability. His development into an important international defender has been one of the standout moments of his career.

José María Giménez

José María Giménez has been a long-time leader in Uruguay’s defence. His performances for Atlético Madrid and Uruguay have established him as one of the experienced members of the squad.

Rodrigo Bentancur

Rodrigo Bentancur has built a strong international career through his performances in midfield. His ability to win possession, pass the ball and contribute defensively makes him an important part of Uruguay’s midfield.

Giorgian de Arrascaeta

De Arrascaeta is known for his creativity, technical ability and attacking contributions. His performances for Flamengo and Uruguay have made him one of the country’s recognised attacking midfielders.

Lucas Torreira

Torreira is a defensive-minded midfielder known for his tackling, pressing and ability to break up opposition attacks. His experience in European football has added to his international career.

Facundo Pellistri

Pellistri is a quick and technically gifted attacking player. His pace can be particularly useful when Uruguay look to transition quickly from defence to attack.

Diego Forlán – A Special Connection

Although Diego Forlán is now Uruguay’s head coach rather than a player, his connection with Indian football makes this fixture particularly interesting. Forlán previously played in the Indian Super League for Mumbai City FC in 2016.

As a player, Forlán won the 2010 FIFA World Cup Golden Ball and helped Uruguay win the 2011 Copa América. He scored 36 goals in 112 appearances for Uruguay.

Federico Valverde Will Miss the India Match

One of the biggest changes to Uruguay’s squad is the absence of Federico Valverde. The Real Madrid midfielder was originally selected but was later ruled out after suffering an ankle injury.

Uruguay confirmed that Emiliano Martínez was called up as Valverde’s replacement.

Therefore, although Valverde was initially one of the biggest names expected in the India match, he should not be listed as an available player for the October 6 fixture based on the latest squad update.

Where Will India vs Uruguay Be Played?

The match will take place at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) in Kolkata, popularly known as Salt Lake Stadium.

Uruguay are scheduled to arrive in Kolkata after their September friendlies against Japan and South Korea. The Uruguay Football Association has confirmed that the India match will be played on October 6 at 7:00 PM Indian time.

India vs Uruguay: Why This Match Is Important

The match provides Indian footballers with the opportunity to face a team with a long World Cup history. India’s international window includes three opponents who participated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup: Panama, Brazil and Uruguay.

For Uruguay, the match is part of a three-game Asian tour under Diego Forlán, with Uruguay scheduled to face Japan on September 24, South Korea on September 28 and India on October 6.

Conclusion

India vs Uruguay is scheduled for October 6, 2026, not September 26.
The match will be played at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
India’s 26-player squad includes experienced names such as Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Anirudh Thapa and Manvir Singh.
Uruguay’s squad features Ronald Araújo, Darwin Núñez, Rodrigo Bentancur and José María Giménez.
Federico Valverde was ruled out through injury and replaced by Emiliano Martínez.
Diego Forlán will lead Uruguay in his new role as national-team coach.
The fixture will give Indian football fans a chance to watch a major South American national team on Indian soil.

 

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