India’s men’s national football team will make its first-ever tour of New Zealand for a two-match friendly series, the national federation announces. The games are scheduled for November 12 and November 15, 2026, during the FIFA international match window. The tour is described as a historic first senior men’s meeting between the two nations’ teams. The fixtures form part of “100 Years of Unity Through Sport,” a set of celebrations marking sporting ties between India and New Zealand.
The first friendly is set to be played at Go Media Stadium in Auckland, and the second will take place at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch. The tour is also noted as India’s first visit to an Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) member nation since 2005, when India played two friendlies against Fiji.
Reports also note that the announcement follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to New Zealand. India and New Zealand have previously met in two matches—one goalless draw at the 1981 Merdeka Tournament and a 2-1 win for New Zealand in 2018 at the Intercontinental Cup in Mumbai.
