There would be a strong Indian link at the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup 2026, even though India has not yet participated in a senior men’s FIFA World Cup.
Despite having qualified for the 1950 FIFA World Cup, India withdrew from the competition due to travel expenses and a preference for the 1952 Olympics.
Four Indian-origin players are scheduled to represent various countries at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico starting on June 11, despite the fact that the Indian football team will not compete.
A look at the four Indian-origin players:
Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid (Qatar): Just 19 years old, Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid was born on June 16, 2006. Before relocating to Qatar in 1996, Jamshid and Shaima, his Malayali parents, lived in Kannur. Currently employed as an accountant in Qatar, his father was a football player for the University of Calicut in Kerala.
Before joining Al Duhail, Tahsin had training at the Aspire Academy in Qatar. He became one of Qatar’s most promising young attackers at Al Duhail. At the senior, Under-23, Under-20, and youth levels, the winger has played for Qatar. In June 2024, Tahsin made his senior debut for Qatar against Afghanistan in a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying match.
Sarpreet Singh (New Zealand): On February 20, 1997, Sarpreet Singh was born in Auckland, New Zealand, to parents from Jalandhar, Punjab. Sarpreet was signed by German powerhouse Bayern Munich in 2019 following an outstanding tenure with Wellington Phoenix.
After that, he spent time in Portugal and Germany before loaning back to Wellington Phoenix from the Serbian team TSC. Since making his senior New Zealand debut in 2018, he has accumulated 24 caps for his country. Sarpreet suffered a knee injury on his first game back with Wellington Phoenix earlier this year. After finishing his rehabilitation, he has fully healed from the injury and will be ready to compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Nishan Velupillay (Australia): On May 7, 2001, Nishan Velupillay was born in Melbourne. His mother, Gillian, is Anglo-Indian, while his father, Sasinath Velupillay, is Malaysian with Sri Lankan Tamil ancestry.
Through Melbourne Victory’s Academy system, Nishan advanced through the Australian football divisions. Since 2021, the winger has participated in 128 games and scored 19 goals for Melbourne Victory’s senior team. In a FIFA World Cup Qualifiers encounter against China in 2024, he made his senior Australia debut. Since then, he has accumulated six international caps.
Samuel Moutoussamy (DR Congo): On August 12, 1996, Samuel Moutoussamy was born in Paris to an Indo-Guadeloupean father and a Congolese mother. Samuel’s family has Tamil ancestry, just like Nishan’s.
He chose to play international football for the Democratic Republic of the Congo despite being born in Paris, the capital of France. He played 144 games for the French team Nantes throughout his lengthy career before moving on to the Netherlands and Turkey. Atromitos, a Greek team, is Samuel’s current team.
