AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers 2027 — Will Sunil Chhetri play in Singapore vs India?

India will look to put their foot on the accelerator before it’s too late when they take on Singapore in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers on Thursday.

And many eyes are expected to be on captain Sunil Chhetri, India’s record goalscorer, who returns to the national team after four months away.

Chhetri, who came out of retirement to help the Blue Tigers in the Asian Cup qualifiers, has failed to impress in national team colors – in competitive matches – with no goals from open play in almost two years.

But with India’s search for his successor – a consistent goalscorer – futile so far, the 41-year-old remains a ray of hope for his country whenever he is in front of goal.

It was therefore surprising when Indian head coach Khalid Jamil excluded him from his first national camp, before the CAFA Nations Cup, a tournament where the team pleasantly surprised with a third-place finish, beating higher-ranked sides Oman and Tajikistan.

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However, ahead of the Asian Cup qualifiers, Chhetri was recalled to the national camp.

Will Sunil Chhetri play in Singapore vs India?

Chhetri has been training with the Indian team since September 29 after being released by his club, Bengaluru FC. He also traveled to Singapore with the Blue Tigers for the match.

On the eve of the match, coach Jamil made it clear that the attacker is expected to get sufficient playing time. to play full minutes against the Lions. «He is available and fit. Absolutely, he will play 90 minutes,» Jamil said.

What is Sunil Chhetri’s record against Singapore?

Chhetri has played just one match against Singapore, a 2022 international friendly, which ended in a 1-1 draw. However, Chhetri could not score in that match, while Ashique Kuruniyan’s equalizer saved the day for the Blue Tigers.

Published on October 9, 2025