India announces squad for Beach Soccer Asian Cup

New Delhi

India has named a 12-member squad for the AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup 2025, set to take place in Pattaya, Thailand, next week. The team, coached by Malaysia’s Mohd Faizal Bin Sood, will compete in Group A alongside hosts Thailand, Kuwait, and Lebanon.

India’s campaign kicks off against Thailand on March 20, followed by matches against Kuwait on March 22 and Lebanon on March 24. The squad and coaching staff will depart from Rajkot on March 16, arriving in Pattaya early on March 17.

The national team camp was held in Porbandar, Gujarat, in two phases. Initially, 75 players from 12 states were called up in October 2024. The list was later trimmed to 25 players in February before finalizing the squad.

Coach Faizal, who previously led Malaysia’s national beach soccer team, is optimistic about India’s chances. “We have an opportunity to reach the quarter-finals. Other teams have more experience, and Thailand as hosts will be tough, but anything can happen in beach soccer,” he said.

He emphasized India’s speed as a key advantage. “Indian players are naturally fast, making strategy execution easier. Speed and technique will be our foundation,” he added.

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Squad:

Goalkeepers: Pratik Kankonkar, Raj Chauhan

Outfield Players: Nehal Parab, Sreejith Babu, Jaypal Singh, Latish Kunkolkar, Rohith Y, Mukhtar Umarul, Musheer TKB, Satish Naik, Mohd Akram, Amit Godara

Coaching Staff: Head Coach – Mohd Faizal Bin Sood; Assistant Coach – Akshay; Goalkeeping Coach – Suraj Jaiswal.