The FIFA World Cup dream still remains a distant one for India. Despite the capability to churn out talent, the most populous country in the world with a population of 1.4 billion people continues to ask the same question over and over again: Will India ever qualify for the biggest football stage?

Over the years, the Indian men’s national football team, aka the Blue Tigers, has never managed to cross the preliminary rounds of Asian zone qualifiers. And yet, the Indian dream continues to find different ways to manifest itself at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, currently being co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Fortunately, India still has a better direct link to the tournament this year, as four India-origin players are representing four different nations at the global stage: Tahsin Jamshid (Qatar), Sarpreet Singh (New Zealand), Samuel Moutoussamy (DR Congo) and Nishan Velupillay (Australia).

This past week, a video of an Indian man proudly carrying an Indian tricolour-themed banner featuring an aspirational message at a football stadium in Dallas, Texas, went viral.

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What did the Indian football fan’s viral banner say?

A video circulating on social media captured various snippets of the Indian man proudly showcasing his banner that encapsulated the essence of the South Asian country’s aspiration and desire to play on the global football stage.

It said: “One Day India Will Be Here.”

Standing in the stadium stands and other spots, the Indian man also wore the Indian flag on his back in most shots.

Can India play in FIFA? What do top players say

Former national team captain Baichung Bhutia, who is also one of the biggest names Indian football has produced, doesn’t quite believe we’re there yet.

“Yes, India can definitely play [in the World Cup] as nothing is impossible. The quota of Asian teams have gone up to eight [along with a ninth team in Iraq which came through from confederation play-offs this time] in the bigger 48-team format, where teams like Uzbekistan and Jordan are playing. However, it will require a lot of hard work,” he said, as quoted by the BBC.

While he is confident that the country has talent to spare, he added, “What is lacking is the right ecosystem as we don’t have a serious grassroots programme with a long-term vision. It’s the most popular team sport in the world and we will need time for the results to show.”

Similarly, former captain Sunil Chettri once told the media, “We need to take one step at a time, and right now, our goal should be to qualify for all Asian Cups as it will help us play against stronger opposition. Once we can establish ourselves among the top 15-20 Asian countries, then only can we think of raising the bar for the World Cup.”

Recently, the Indian football icon also said the country’s governing body lacks a clear vision for the sport. Offering a harsh reality check, he asserted, “It’s not because India lacks talent. The real issue is that we’re still not a true sporting nation. We fail to identify, nurture, and develop talent at the right age through the right system.”

Earlier this year, Chhetri and other top Indian players who especially earned their name during the Indian Super League (ISL) tournament made an emotional appeal to FIFA to “save” Indian football, especially since ISL’s future remains uncertain.

“It’s January and we should be on your screens as a part of a competitive football game in the Indian Super League,” India goalkeeper Gurpreet said in a video shared by several footballers.

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“Indian football government is no longer able to fulfil its responsibilities. We are now staring at a permanent paralysis,” other players continued. “This is the last-ditch effort to save what we can. So we are calling the FIFA to step in and do what it takes to save Indian football. We hope this message gets to the power that are in Zurich. This call is not political, it is not driven by confrontation but by necessity.”

“It might sound like a big word but the truth is that we are facing a humanitarian, sporting and economic crisis. And of course, we need rescuing at the earliest.”

Chhetri went on to say, “Players, staff, owners and the fans deserve clarity, protection and more importantly, a future.”

As a crisis continues to hit national players hard at home, football-crazy Indians continue to cheer on their international favourites from afar in the FIFA World Cup.

Disclaimer: The content in this article is based on a viral social media discussion and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only.