In a landmark move that could reshape the future of Indian football, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has named two overseas-based players — centre-back Abneet Bharti and winger Ryan Williams — in the national camp in Bengaluru ahead of India’s AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifier against Bangladesh in Dhaka on November 18.

The stories of the two new call-ups could not be more different, yet both converge at a crucial juncture for Indian football.

Who are Abneet Bharti and Ryan Williams?

27-year-old Bharti was born in Kathmandu and has spent years carving an unconventional career path across South America, Europe and Africa. His journey has included stints that would seem improbable for most Indian footballers and he currently plays in the Bolivian league. Bharti had moved away from the Nepal setup long ago and was previously involved in India’s junior national teams, making him familiar to domestic scouts, Indian Express reported.

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Williams, 32, on the other hand, took a far more stable footballing route, one that began in Perth and stretched through England’s footballing system. He spent nearly a decade in the UK, playing for clubs such as Portsmouth, Fulham and Barnsley, before making a senior appearance for Australia in 2019. That cameo came during a friendly against South Korea, but his career trajectory has now taken a dramatic turn as Williams has surrendered his Australian passport to represent India.

His mother was born into an Anglo-Indian family in Mumbai and his grandfather, Lincoln Grostate, represented Bombay in the Santosh Trophy in the 1950s. Football seems embedded in the family’s DNA as Williams’ twin brother Aryn played in India for NEROCA FC in 2018 and Ryan later joined Bengaluru FC in the Indian Super League.

According to AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey, it was Sunil Chhetri who first tipped off the federation about Williams’ willingness to give up his Australian citizenship. “From then on, the process started,” Chaubey told PTI.

Williams not first overseas player to take Indian citizenship

Ryan Williams is not the first overseas player to take Indian citizenship and play for the national football team. Japan-born Arata Izumi, the son of a Gujarati father, acquired Indian citizenship in 2012 and represented the national team nine times across 2013 and 2014, Indian Express reported. 

The entry of both players to the Indian fold comes at a time when India is grappling with a shortage of domestic forwards and creative wide players. This weak spot has contributed to the team failing to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup. His switch could inspire other Indian-origin players to follow suit.

“Honoured to make official what’s long felt true… India, I’m one of your own!” Williams posted on social media, describing his naturalisation as an emotional homecoming.

With Bharti and Williams’ inclusion, the federation now appears ready to actively pursue Indian passport holders playing abroad. “We will try to reach out to other regions in the world, especially football-playing nations,” Chaubey said, adding, “Through media and other platforms, we would like to invite them to contact us, to make a stronger national team.”