'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
India men's football team head coach Igor Stimac believes Kolkata's (formerly Calcutta) Salt Lake Stadium will be the best choice of venue to host India's upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup second-round Asian qualifiers game against Kuwait on June 6, 2024.
Speaking at a Sports conclave that was held in the City of Joy on Thursday, March 7, the Blue Tigers boss heaped praise on the Mecca of Indian Football by saying:
"I feel Calcutta is the best place to host that game (on June 6). Players too feel the best here. Besides, players will not feel the pressure here. Rather, they will be excited to play. I think Calcutta is a place that will give us the buzz and excitement which can take us to victory. We need to be clever and it’s time we be wise because for the most important game, we need 80,000 people cheering for us."
Having begun the second round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers with a 1-0 away victory over Kuwait, Igor Stimac's men are currently placed third in Group A. They suffered a 3-0 defeat against Asian champion Qatar at home in their second game.
"The main problem will be the 2,200m altitude there" - Igor Stimac on upcoming game against Afghanistan
Next up, the Indian football team will face Afghanistan in away and home fixtures on March 21 and 26, respectively, before playing Kuwait at home on June 6. In their final group game of the second round of Asian Qualifiers, India will face Qatar at the Al Bayt Stadium on June 11.
About the upcoming challenges against Afghanistan, Igor Stimac said:
"The main problem will be the 2,200m altitude there. That’s why I insist on us going there on the 16th to adjust to the climate and have a few practice sessions."
Expressing his disappointment of not getting enough preparation time ahead of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar, Igor Stimac admitted that the process of squad rebuilding will begin now, adding:
"It wouldn’t make sense to pick a player who has done well in a few matches over someone who had been with the squad from 2019.hThe process of rebuilding the squad for the next few years will begin now."
Although the Croatian appreciated the fact that different cities wanted to host the national team's important matches, he asserted that the new venues could be explored once India qualify for the third round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
With the monsoon being cited as a reason for not awarding Kolkata the much-anticipated fixture, the 56-year-old wants Bengaluru to host the clash against Kuwait if Kolkata misses out on the opportunity.
