FIFA World Cup Qualifier 2026: India vs Kuwait Match Results. The Fifa World Cup qualifier match between India and Kuwait took place today on 16th November around 10 pm IST at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait City. The last time India encountered Kuwait was in the finals of the SAFF Championship. This FIFA World Cup qualifier match could have become the revenge match for Kuwait. In their last encounter, India won 5-4 on penalties. But the Blue Tigers roared today and proved themselves by winning their first match of FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers. India has never qualified for the World Cup however, Kuwait qualified in 1982.
India vs Kuwait: FIFA World Cup Qualifier 2026 Result
Result: India (1) – Kuwait (0)
Manveer Singh scored a goal by tackling the ball through 2 defenders. He showed real skill and gave India hope to overcome their Asian Games performance and win the first match of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Even with 5 minutes of extra time Kuwait failed to score any goal against India however, they got penalties and red cards from the umpire. The match was a tight affair, with both teams having chances to score. However, it was India who finally broke the deadlock in the 75th minute.
The trip to Dubai helped Team India improve their gameplay as they trained well there. The crowd was mainly supporting India and cheering throughout the match. The next team they will face in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers is Qatar on 21st November 7 pm IST onwards.
Also Read: Can India Qualify For FIFA World Cup 2026? – Explained
The victory was a crucial one for India, who are aiming to qualify for their first World Cup finals. It also came as a relief to coach Igor Stimac, who had been under pressure after a string of poor results.
Kuwait vs India Head-to-Head
| Date | Tournament | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Dec 1978 | Asian Games | India 1-6 Kuwait |
| 05 Nov 2004 | International Friendly | Kuwait 2-3 India |
| 14 Nov 2010 | International Friendly | India 1-9 Kuwait |
| 27 June 2023 | SAFF Championship | India 1-1 Kuwait |
| 04 July 2023 | SAFF Championship | India 1 (5)-(4) 1 Kuwait |
| 16 Nov 2023 | FIFA World Cup Qualifiers | India 1-0 Kuwait |
Matches played: 6
India wins: 3
Kuwait wins: 2
Goals scored by India: 11
Goals scored by Kuwait: 23
