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Fifa World Cup 2026: Meet the four Indian-origin players playing for 4 nations
All you need to know about Indian origin players Sarpreet Singh, Samuel Moutoussamy, Tahsin Jamshid and Nishan Velupillay who will be seen at FIFA World Cup 2026
- PUBLISHED: Thu 11 Jun 2026, 12:43 PM
Cricket, not football, may enjoy widespread love and attention in India. But every four years, the FIFA World Cup does peak collective interest in the sport, and what follows is an exercise to spot an Indian connection somewhere. This year, four Indian origin players will be part of the world’s most popular sporting event. Who are they, and which teams do they represent? Here is a quick checklist
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Sarpreet Singh, New Zealand
Born in Auckland, Singh traces his roots to Punjab. The 27-year-old attacking midfielder has had quite an illustrious career that started with the A-League club Wellington Phoenix. He has represented New Zealand at the FIFA Under 17 World Cup in 2015, and later FIFA Under 20 World Cups in 2017 and 2019. He was eventually picked by the Bayern Munich(he left the club four years later). Singh returned to Wellington Phoenix on loan from Serbian club FK TSC. “I try to be a difference maker,” he told The Athletic. “As a No 10 or attacking midfielder, you have to be the difference whether that’s creating plays, scoring or just deciding what to do at the right moment.”
Samuel Moutoussamy, Congo
Playing for the Democratic Republic of Congo, Samuel Moutoussamy boasts Tamil ancestry. Even though the 29-year-old was born in France, he represents Congo because FIFA’s eligibility criteria state that players can represent a country only if their parents or grandparents were born in that country and continue to be the nationals (Moutoussamy’s mother is Congolese). He currently plays in the Greek Super League club Atromitos.
Nishan Velupillay, Australia
Born in Melbourne to a Malaysian father with Sri Lankan roots and an Anglo-Indian mother, Nishan Velupillay plays for the Australian club Melbourne Victory. The 25-year-old winger has been one of the rising stars of Australian football, who captured attention after having scored a goal against China in a qualifying match last year.
Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid, Qatar
Born in Doha to Malayali parents, Tahsin Jamshid will represent Qatar at the FIFA World Cup 2026. The 19-year-old winger has already played for the Qatar’s Under-16 and Under-17 teams, and made his international debut during a qualifying match against Afghanistan.
Anamika Chatterjee is Associate Editor, Features at Khaleej Times. A senior journalist, she helms arts, culture, entertainment and lifestyle verticals for the print and digital platforms of the publication.