What are the upcoming matches for India after their disappointing run in the King's Cup 2023?

After two disappointing losses in the recently concluded King's Cup 2023, the Indian men's nation team completed their sojourn in the four-team competition without the whiff of even a bronze medal.

In the semi-final, the Blue Tigers faltered in the penalty shootouts against Iraq after putting up a resilient 2-2 draw in regulation time. Yet, they had an opportunity to salvage their campaign with a victory in the third-place playoff clash. Their opponents were a very familiar Lebanon, with whom they squared off thrice in as many months.

Given the recent results, India were the clear favorites to edge out the Cedars. The proceedings followed the predictions with the Blue Tigers dominating possession throughout the match. But they lacked the panache in the final third and ultimately, Lebanon sank Indian hearts with a strike from a corner situation in the second half.

The performances highlight Igor Stimac's men's inconsistency on foreign soil, which is in stark contrast with their comprehensive results back home. They won three competitions on the trot over the last few months, however, the dip in form ahead of the tightly-packed calendar list might be a concern for the Croatian gaffer.

On that note, let's take a look at the upcoming fixtures for the Indian national team.

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#1 Asian Games 2023 (September)

The Indian football team's participation in the Asian Games was a dramatic episode in itself. However, now that it has been confirmed, that's an assignment everybody will be looking forward to. Except for the three senior players permitted to every team, the continental competition is a U23 event.

Given India's largely young core group, a lot of the senior team players will be assigned to the task. For the senior player slots, Sunil Chhetri, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, and Sandesh Jhingan have been selected. The Blue Tigers have been drawn in Group A alongside hosts China, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.

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#2 Merdeka Tournament 2023 (October)

Sunil Chhetri and company will follow their participation in the Asian Games with another assignment in the following month. The Malaysian FA has already confirmed India's participation in the Merdeka Cup, which will be held from October 14 to 17.

The four participating teams include hosts Malaysia, Palestine, Lebanon, and the Blue Tigers. For Igor Stimac's side, it might be a great opportunity to dish out some cold revenge on the Cedars, who ended their medal hopes in the King's Cup.

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#3 FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers (November)

The first round of fixtures for the World Cup 2026 Qualifiers will be packed during the November international window and pose a great challenge for the Indian squad. They have been drawn in Group A alongside last edition’s hosts Qatar, Kuwait, and either Afghanistan or Mongolia.

The pedigree of Qatar is well known, while Kuwait are no pushover either. Hence, India will have to be at the top of their game to crawl out of the group.

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#4 AFC Asian Cup 2023 (January)

This is the showpiece event in Asian football's calendar and at this point, the carrot that dangles in front of the Indian contingent. Igor Stimac and his men are eager to showcase a confident display at the marquee competition but the groupings haven't been exactly kind to them.

Slotted into Group B alongside Syria, Uzbekistan, and Australia, the Blue Tigers will find it difficult to sneak into the knockout spots, but there's definitely plenty of importance that is being put into the outcome of the competition.

But will a two-week preparation window suffice to combat such quality opponents? Only time will tell.