Led by Sergio Dimas de Oliveira, General Supervisor of Men’s National Teams, the delegation arrived in Kolkata in the early hours and began by reviewing the hospitality arrangements before reaching the Salt Lake Stadium around 5pm. A five-member delegation from the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) on Thursday conducted a detailed inspection of the Salt Lake Stadium on Thursday, spending more than two hours assessing the facilities and preparations for India’s biggest-ever football fixture against Brazil slated on October 3.
“We are all eagerly waiting for the India vs Brazil match, and all preparations needed for the match are being made at the moment and have already started. “We are set to witness a historic match. We all are awaiting this match. It’s happening just before Mahalaya (Durga Puja), so we all are really excited. “The Durand Cup is being played here, the oldest tournament in Asia, and all logistics are being managed well; we expect to have everything in place for the India vs Brazil match.
The Salt Lake Stadium is currently hosting the Durand Cup, and according to sources, the CBF has sought an update on the condition of the grass after 15 days.
Khan said a tentative schedule for completing the required work had also been presented to the Brazilian officials. Asked about security concerns in the aftermath of that incident, Khan said the ongoing Durand Cup had demonstrated that the arrangements were now functioning smoothly. We hope we can have more such marquee matches here,” he said.
The five-time world champions and the most successful men’s national team in World Cup history, Brazil are expected to travel with a 90-member contingent comprising players, coaches and support staff. The India match will come at the end of Brazil’s late-2026 international tour, with Carlo Ancelotti’s side scheduled to play Australia in two matches before travelling to India. ‘Let’s see’ Meanwhile, another international fixture could follow in India, with the Blue Tigers likely to host recent World Cup sensation Cape Verde on October 6.
Asked about the proposed Cape Verde fixture, Khan said, “Let’s see.”
