CHENNAI: Football enthusiasts in India are excitedly gearing up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to begin on June 11. Despite India not being part of the 48 teams competing in the 12 groups this World Cup, the enthusiasm for the game remains high.
However, there is another reason Indians can look forward to the game with three players of South Indian origin making their FIFA debut this season.
An Indian-origin player making a debut in the FIFA World Cup is Australia’s Nishan Velupillay, becoming one of the first Tamil-origin footballers to be part of the World Cup, the second being Samuel Moutoussamy.
Nishan’s father, Sasinath Velupillay, has Sri Lankan Tamil roots, while his mother, Gillian, is Anglo-Indian. Born and raised in Melbourne, Nishan rose through the youth system at Glen Eira FC and eventually joined Melbourne Victory Academy.
Nishan made his senior debut for Australia in October 2024 during a World Cup qualifier against China. He helped Australia secure a 3-1 win with his goal after entering the game as a substitute at the 83rd minute. Nishan is also among 17 players who will be making their debut with Australia’s squad in the FIFA World Cup.
On the other hand, representing DR Congo at this World Cup is 29-year-old Samuel Albert Alain Arcade Moutoussamy. He was born to a Congolese mother and an Indo-Guadeloupean father of Tamil origin. The Indo-Guadeloupean community were South Indian labourers who migrated to the Caribbean during the late 19th century.
Moutoussamy currently holds French citizenship. He has 57 international caps and has played across European leagues with stints in France, Turkey and Greece.
19-year-old Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid, whose roots trace back to Kannur in Kerala, will be playing as part of the 26-man Qatar squad. He becomes the first player from Kerala to play in the World Cup.
Tahsin was born and raised in Doha to Keralite parents, Jamshid from Thalassery and Shyma from Valapattanam in Kannur. The young footballer has been representing the nation at the U17 and U19 levels. He made his international debut against Afghanistan in a World Cup Qualifier recently.