Indian players will show their strength for the qualifier against Hong Kong, football team announced for AFC Asian Cup

New Delhi: Australian-born forward Ryan Williams is likely to make his debut for India after being included in the 23-member Indian football squad for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifier against Hong Kong on March 31 in Kochi. After getting approval from FIFA to change the football association, 31 year old Williams may get a chance to play for India at the senior international level. He was in the camp to prepare for the qualifier against Bangladesh but could not play due to lack of paperwork.

The Indian team, which is out of the race for Asian Cup qualification, would like to end its campaign on a positive note. Williams’ mother is from an Anglo-Indian family from Mumbai. He will be the second foreign-born player of Indian origin to play for India after Japan-born Arata Izumi. Izumi played for India between 2013 and 2014.

Born in Perth in 1993, Williams began his professional career in England. He joined the Portsmouth academy in 2010 and became part of the senior team the following year. He has played junior football for Australia at the international level. The only match he played for the Australian senior team was a friendly match against South Korea in 2019.

Indian team:

Goalkeeper: Albino Gomes, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Vishal Kaith

Defender: Abhishek Singh Tekcham, Akash Mishra, Anwar Ali, Bejoy Varghese, Nikhil Pujari, Rahul Bheke, Roshan Singh Naorem, Sandesh Jhingan

Midfielder: Ashiq Kuruniyan, Danish Farooq, Jackson Singh, Lalengmawia Ralte, Sahal Abdul Samad

Forward: Edmund Lalrindika, Farooq Choudhary, Lalianjuala Chhangte, Liston Colasso, Manvir Singh, Rahim Ali, Ryan Williams

Head Coach: Khalid Jameel