Tag Archives: Indian Muslims in Football

Meet Tahsin, Nishan, Indian origin footballers, to play in 2026 FIFA World Cup

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Kannur, KERALA / Doha, QATAR :

India has not qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup but two footballers – Tahsin and Nishan, are making the country proud as the countdown for the football mega event begins

Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid (L) and Nishan Velupillay

2026 FIFA World Cup: 

India has not qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup but two footballers – Tahsin and Nishan, are making the country proud as the countdown for the football mega event begins.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set for a grand inauguration on June 11, 2026. Weeks before the inauguration of the football world cup, two footballers – Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid and Nishan Velupillay are adding to the football fever in India.

And the reason is their country of origin.

Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid and Nishan Velupillay both have their roots in India, and they will be playing the 2026 Football World Cup, though not for India but for the countries they are currently residing in.

Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid

19-year-old Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid is the first footballer of Indian-origin selected in Qatar’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Tahsin’s parents, Jamshid and Shaima, migrated from Kannur, Kerala in 1996 and settled in Doha, Qatar where Tahsin was born on June 16, 2006.

The winger, who is described as quick, direct, and impactful on the wings, came through Qatar’s Aspire Academy and plays for Al Duhail Sports Club.

Tahsin, who earlier represented Qatar at senior, U23, U20, and lower youth levels and is regarded as one of the country’s promising young talents, made his senior debut for Qatar in the World Cup qualifier against Afghanistan.

Tashin’s father Jamshid currently working as Accountant, is also a footballer and had played for University of Calicut, Kerala.

Nishan Velupillay

Nishan Velupillay (25) has been confirmed in the 26-member Australian squad for the 2026 football world cup.

The Melbourne Victory winger was born on May 7, 2001 in Melbourne, Australia. His father, Sasinath Velupillay, is Malaysian with Sri Lankan Tamil roots, and his mother, Gillian, is Anglo-Indian.

Nishan made his debut for Australia in 2024 and scored on his first appearance in the World Cup qualifier against China. Since then, he has become a regular part of the Australian national football team.

With his selection for the World Cup, Velupillay is set to become the first footballer of Tamil heritage to play at the football world cup.

“A Historic Moment”

Congress leader and MP Shashi Tharoor who posted the brief profile of the two footballers said their inclusion in the Qatar and Australian national teams are proud moment for India too.

“A historic moment for Indian football fans! As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, we will have two players of Indian heritage gracing the global stage”, Tharoor wrote on social media platform X.

“They follow in the footsteps of Vikash Dhorasoo, the elegant and creative midfielder whose forefathers hailed from Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh (migrating to Mauritius and later to France), who played for the French National Team in the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, winning a runners-up medal”, Tharoor further wrote.

The 2026 edition of the World Cup will be the first to feature 48 teams and three host countries. The United States will have 11 of the 16 hosts cities at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will also feature matches in Mexico and Canada.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be inaugurated on June 11, 2026 whereas the 2026 Football World Cup Final will be played on July 19, 2026.

source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> 2026 FIFA World Cup / by ummid.com news network / June 03rd, 2026

Khalid Jamil becomes Indian men’s football team coach on two-year contract

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PUNJAB / KUWAIT / Mumbai, MAHARASHTRA :

After confirming his appointment a few days back, AIFF has announced that Khalid Jamil has signed a full-time two-year contract to be the Indian football team coach.

The AIFF has announced that Khalid Jamil will be a full-time coach for the Indian men’s football team. Image: AIFF

Former midfielder Khalid Jamil has signed a full-time two-year contract to be the new Indian men’s football team coach, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) confirmed on Wednesday. Jamil, who was Jamshedpur FC’s coach in the Indian Super League (ISL), was picked as the top candidate by the AIFF Executive Committee on 1 August , but both parties were yet to agree on terms.

“I am both deeply proud and immensely privileged to have been entrusted with the responsibility of leading our national team,” Jamil said in an AIFF media release on Wednesday. “Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to train Indian players, and I’ve grown to understand their strengths and weaknesses intimately.

“These insights will be fundamental to everything we do as we prepare for the CAFA Nations Cup and the upcoming crucial Asian Cup Qualifiers against Singapore.”

Jamil to start tenure with CAFA Nations Cup

Jamil was picked by the AIFF ahead of India coach Stephen Constantine and Slovakian tactician Stefan Tarkovic. He will be the first Indian to coach the men’s national team after Savio Medeira in 2012.

The first training camp for the Indian football team under Jamil will start on 15 August at the Dravid-Padukone Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru. The list of probables is expected to be announced soon.

Jamil’s first assignment as India coach will be the CAFA Nations Cup, where India are set to face hosts Tajikistan (August 29), IR Iran (September 1) and Afghanistan (September 4) in Group B.

In the October FIFA Window, India are scheduled to play AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers against Singapore (October 9 and 14).

Jamil’s coaching and playing career

While he doesn’t have the experience of coaching a national team, the 48-year-old has had an extensive management career at the club level, coaching Jamshedpur FC, NorthEast United FC, Aizawl FC, East Bengal FC, Mohun Bagan AC and Mumbai FC. With Aizawl FC, he won a historic I-League title in 2016-17.

He also helped Jamshedpur reach the Kalinga Super Cup 2025 final and the semi-finals of the ISL play-offs 2024-25.

As a player, he played 15 times for India, after making his debut in the 1997 SAFF Championship in Nepal, which the Blue Tigers won.

In his club career, Jamil won the National Football League, two Federation Cups and two IFA Shields with Mahindra United.

He also played for Air India and Mumbai FC. In the Santosh Trophy, Jamil represented Maharashtra, with whom he won the title in 1999.

source: http://www.firstpost.com / FirstPost. / Home / by FP Sports Desk / August 13th, 2025