India will once again be absent from the FIFA World Cup, extending a long wait for the men’s national team to appear at football’s biggest event. Yet India’s connection to the tournament will still be felt through the global reach of its diaspora, with four players of Indian family origin set to feature at the 2026 World Cup.
The absence of India itself remains striking given the country’s deep interest in football. FIFA’s 2022 World Cup data showed that India was one of the tournament’s biggest markets, with about 745 million people engaging across television, digital and social media. Around 84 million viewers watched matches on television, placing India among the world’s largest audiences for the event.
Among the players with Indian roots, Sarpreet Singh is likely to be the most familiar name to Indian fans. The New Zealand midfielder was born in Auckland to a Punjabi family from Jalandhar. He came through New Zealand football, represented the country at the FIFA U-20 World Cups in 2017 and 2019, and later earned a move to Bayern Munich in 2019, becoming one of the few New Zealand players to join a major European club. Now 27, Singh plays for Serbian side TSC and has made 24 senior appearances for New Zealand since his debut in 2018.
Qatar’s Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid represents the next generation. The 19-year-old winger was born in Qatar to parents from Kerala. His father, Jamshid, previously played football in Kerala before moving to the Gulf, while his mother, Shyma, is from Kannur. Tahsin progressed through Qatar’s football system and now plays for Al Duhail. He made his senior international debut in 2024 during a World Cup qualifier against Afghanistan and was part of Qatar’s squad that faced India in Doha during qualifying.
Samuel Moutoussamy brings one of the most unusual family histories in the group. Born in France, the DR Congo midfielder traces Indian ancestry through his father, who belongs to the Indo-Guadeloupean community of Tamil origin. That community descends from Indian indentured labourers who moved to the Caribbean in the 19th century. Moutoussamy, whose mother is Congolese, chose to play for DR Congo and has become a key part of the side since his debut in 2019. The 29-year-old has earned 57 caps and is known for his discipline, work rate and composure in midfield.
Australia’s Nishan Velupillay completes the quartet. The Melbourne Victory winger was born and raised in Melbourne, with family roots in the Indian subcontinent through his Anglo-Indian mother and Sri Lankan Tamil father. He rose through local football and earned his Australia debut in 2024. His first senior appearance was memorable, as he scored shortly after coming on against China in a World Cup qualifier. The 25-year-old has since added three goals in seven caps, all in qualifying, and has been named in Australia’s final squad for the tournament.
Together, these stories reflect the reach of Indian heritage in world football, even as India itself remains outside the World Cup stage.
