India may still be some distance away from qualifying for a FIFA World Cup, but the country will nevertheless have a reason to follow the 2026 tournament a little more closely. As the world’s best footballers gather across the United States, Canada and Mexico, two players with strong Indian roots are preparing to take part in the sport’s grandest spectacle.

For generations, Indian football fans have dreamed of seeing the tricolour flying at a World Cup. That dream remains unfulfilled, but footballers of Indian heritage are ensuring that the country’s connection to the tournament remains alive.

Leading the way is 19-year-old Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid, who has earned a place in Qatar’s 26-man squad. His selection is a landmark moment for Indian football followers, as he is set to become the first Malayali to be named in a FIFA World Cup squad.

Tahsin’s story begins in Kerala. His father, Jamshid Thachankandy, left India for Doha in 1996 along with his wife Shyma, who hails from Valapattanam. A promising footballer in his youth who represented Kerala’s sub-junior side in 1985, Jamshid saw his playing ambitions cut short by injury. Years later, those dreams have found new life through his son.

Tahsin developed his game at Qatar’s famed Aspire Academy, one of the most respected football development programmes in Asia. He progressed steadily through Qatar’s youth teams before earning a move to Al Duhail, one of the country’s top clubs. Indian fans may recall seeing him during Qatar’s Under-17 tour of India in 2023. Following an impressive AFC Under-20 Asian Cup campaign, he made his senior international debut in a World Cup qualifier against Afghanistan in 2024 and has now secured a place on football’s biggest stage.

Also read: Ivory Coast stun France in World Cup warmup match

Joining him in North America will be Australia winger Nishan Velupillay, whose family traces its roots to Tamil Nadu. The 25-year-old has been included in coach Tony Popovic’s final 26-man Socceroos squad and will be one of 17 Australians experiencing the World Cup for the first time.

Nishan’s rise through Australian football has been impressive, with his pace, work rate and attacking flair earning him a place among the country’s brightest talents. For many football followers in India, his inclusion offers another reminder of the global footprint of the Indian diaspora.

The connection between India and the World Cup is not entirely new. In 2006, Vikash Dhorasoo, whose ancestral roots lie in Andhra Pradesh’s Vizianagaram district, represented France as they reached the final in Germany.

Twenty years later, India will once again look to players with Indian heritage to provide a link to football’s biggest stage. While the wait for a homegrown World Cup appearance continues, Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid and Nishan Velupillay are ensuring that Indian roots will be represented when the world tunes in for FIFA 2026.

BY JOE WILLIAMS