India host Panama on Friday 25 September 2026 at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. Kick-off is at 7:30 pm IST, the live telecast is on Sony Sports Network, and streaming is on SonyLIV. It is the first time the two senior men's teams have met. This is game one of three for India in twelve days: Brazil come to Kolkata on 3 October, Uruguay on 6 October.
The match was originally scheduled for 26 September but the AIFF moved it to the 25th because the stadium is hosting the Bengaluru Marathon on 27 September.
India vs Panama: match facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Match | India v Panama, FIFA international friendly |
| Date | Friday 25 September 2026 |
| Kick-off | 7:30 pm IST (per District and ESPN) |
| Venue | Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru |
| India head coach | Khalid Jamil |
| Panama head coach | Thomas Christiansen |
| TV | Sony Sports Network |
| Streaming | SonyLIV |
| Tickets | District app or website — search Bengaluru |
| Next India game | India v Brazil, 3 October, Kolkata, 7:30 pm IST |
What time is India vs Panama tonight?
7:30 pm IST on Friday 25 September 2026, at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. Gates open earlier, so arrive before the kick-off. The District ticketing page confirms the time. Some early reports had the match on 26 September, but the date was moved to 25 September to avoid a clash with the Bengaluru Marathon.
Where to watch India vs Panama live
Sony Sports Network has the live telecast and SonyLIV streams the match. Sony Sports holds the rights to all three of India's home friendlies in this window against Panama, Brazil and Uruguay. Outside India, there is no confirmed broadcaster listed at the time of writing.
Tickets for India vs Panama
The AIFF sells tickets through District by Zomato, on the app or the website. Select Bengaluru as the city and look for the Panama match. Tickets started at ₹499 when sales opened, and the top price was reported at ₹9,999. Check District for current availability.
Panama: who are they?
Panama were at the 2026 World Cup in the same group as Ghana, Croatia and England, and lost all three games without scoring — 1-0 to Ghana, 1-0 to Croatia and 2-0 to England. The AIFF had them ranked 44th in the world when it made the announcement.
Head coach Thomas Christiansen, who was born in Denmark and is also a Spanish citizen, named a 27-player squad for the Asian tour. Fourteen of those were at the World Cup, and six could win their first senior caps, including goalkeeper Marcos De León. After Bengaluru, Panama travel to Japan for the Kirin Cup Soccer, with games in Yokohama on 1 October and in Tokyo on 5 October.
India: what to expect
Khalid Jamil, who made his name taking Aizawl FC to the I-League title in 2016-17, named 26 players on 31 August for the three-match window. The camp has been running in Bengaluru since 14 September, so the squad is well drilled.
Sunil Chhetri, India's record scorer, is not in the squad. Jamil has publicly said India are building a new team. One player to watch is Ryan Williams, the Bengaluru FC winger who made his India debut in March 2026 and already has two caps and a goal. Playing in national colours at the Kanteerava — the same ground where his Indian club career started — is, as he put it himself, a full-circle moment.
India's last five results in 2026: a 2-1 win over Hong Kong in the Asian Cup qualifiers on 31 March, then a 2-0 loss to Jamaica and a 1-0 loss to Zimbabwe at the Unity Cup, and a 3-1 loss and 1-1 draw in two friendlies against Tajikistan in June. One win in five. Panama are a step up in quality on all but the Jamaica game.
The Kanteerava factor
The Sree Kanteerava Stadium held 26,380 fans for the 2023 SAFF Championship final, when India beat Kuwait on penalties after a 1-1 draw. It is a ground with big-match experience, and this one — India's first competitive-feel friendly of the window — will be loud.