 "How can Indian football team still qualify for the AFC Asian Cup 2027?")
The Indian men’s football team faces an uphill battle in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers following a frustrating 1-1 draw with Singapore on Thursday. The result has placed the Blue Tigers in a precarious third position in Group C, behind Hong Kong, China (7 points) and Singapore (5 points). India remain winless in the campaign, with Rahim Ali’s late equaliser offering some relief but little progress. Check IND vs SGP LIVE SCORE UPDATES AFC Asian Cup qualifier here
Group Standings After Matchday 3
India’s tally stands at just two points from three games. With only the top team in the group assured of qualification, head coach Khalid Jamil’s side now faces a steep climb, needing not only wins but also favorable results elsewhere.
| AFC Asian Cup 2026 qualifier Group C standings | |||||||||
| Rank | Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Hong Kong | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| 2 | Singapore | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 3 | India | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 2 |
| 4 | Bangladesh | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | -2 | 1 |
How can India still qualify for the AFC Asian Cup 2026?
To Qualify Ahead of Hong Kong, China:
India must win all three of their remaining fixtures, taking their total to 11 points.
Hong Kong, China should not earn more than four points from their final two matches.
India must defeat Hong Kong, China by more than one goal in the return leg to gain the upper hand on head-to-head.
To Qualify Ahead of Singapore:
India can still edge out Singapore on head-to-head if they win the reverse fixture and their other two games.
This holds even if Singapore win their other matches, provided India beat them convincingly in the direct clash.
Bangladesh’s Position and Its Impact
Bangladesh, currently bottom of Group C with just one point, are unlikely to influence India’s fate, unless India drop points in their upcoming matches.
However, if India fail to beat Singapore in the next game and Hong Kong, China defeat Bangladesh on October 14, India’s qualification hopes will be mathematically over, with two matches still left to play.
Must-Win Territory for the Blue Tigers
With just three group matches remaining, the margin for error is now zero. Every fixture from here on is effectively a final. India must win all and hope other results go their way to keep alive their dream of qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup for a third consecutive time.