Kolkata (West Bengal) [India] May 26 (ANI): The Indian senior men's football team have been preparing for the upcoming June FIFA window at the National Centre of Excellence (NCE) in Kolkata. The camp is progressing as per schedule as the Blue Tigers gear up for a vital phase in their AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers campaign.

India, currently ranked 127th in the FIFA rankings, will face Thailand in an international friendly on June 4 at the Thammasat Stadium in Pathum Thani. The fixture is seen as a crucial test ahead of India's Group C clash against Hong Kong in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers Final Round, scheduled for June 10.

Speaking about the team's objectives, midfielder Suresh Singh Wangjam emphasized the importance of staying focused and taking one game at a time.

'See, the long-term goal, if you ask every player or even the staff, is to qualify for the Asian Cup, but we have to take it game by game. Now, we will be focusing only on Hong Kong,' he said.

'The good thing is that we will be playing one friendly game against Thailand, which in my opinion is a similar opponent. So, it will be a very good test for us before the match against Hong Kong,' he added.

Wangjam also had a message for the supporters, 'The fans are always behind us. Just be with us.'

On May 28, the team will fly to Thailand, where they will conduct additional training sessions before facing the hosts. Following the friendly, the squad will head directly to Hong Kong to acclimatize and train ahead of the must-win qualifier.

India's Group C campaign began with a frustrating goalless draw against Bangladesh in March, a result that left head coach Manolo Marquez visibly disappointed. Similarly, Hong Kong and Singapore also played out a 0-0 draw, leaving all four teams tied on one point after the first round of fixtures.

While Thailand, ranked 99th in the world, holds a historical edge over India with 12 wins from 26 encounters, the Blue Tigers have had the upper hand in recent meetings. In 2019, India recorded a memorable 4-1 victory over Thailand at the AFC Asian Cup, followed by a 1-0 win in Buriram to claim the bronze medal at the King's Cup. (ANI)