Indian Football weeks get busier as the now second division of the men’s football league, the I-League gets underway side by side with the Indian Super League or ISL. This month will also see the senior Men’s national team in competitive action for the second time this year. India will play the crucial World Cup qualifiers in the second round hoping to make it to Round 3 for the first time in their history. The challenge in the qualifiers will be a tough one as they will take on Asian champions Qatar, Kuwait and Afghanistan with ties against the first two happening in November.
Continental action continues for Indian clubs with Mohun Bagan SG and Odisha FC playing their next two group games in the AFC Cup with the penultimate one being a face-off between the two. The eye-catching fixture though is Mumbai City FC entertaining AFC Champions League giants Al-Hilal in India in their fourth group stage game. Gokulam Kerala Women’s team will also begin their journey in the AFC Women’s Club Championship 2023 with a heavyweight fixture against Urawa Red Diamonds from Japan lined up.
Here are all the notable Indian Football events to watch in November 2023:
Sreenidi Deccan vs Inter Kashi - I-League 2023/24 (3 November 2023)
The new I-league season with as many as 13 teams competing this time has started excitingly. For new entry Inter Kashi, their debut game ending 2-2 with the competition heavyweights Gokulam Kerala in Kerala will be remembered for long. It also gives a boost to the team that dreams about promotion to ISL in their first season and the sense of giving an equal fight if not better against the other contenders for the top spot. Kashi will now face last season’s runners-up Sreenidi Deccan in another high-voltage away clash with the Hyderabad-based team starting their season strongly.
National Games Women’s Football Final (5 November 2023)
The Women’s Football Tournament in National Games hosted in Goa will reach its conclusion with the final on the first Sunday of the month. Seven teams started the tournament but only four remain now as the semifinals are set. Group A winners West Bengal takes on Group B runners-up Odisha while Haryana, coming first in that group, meet last edition’s gold medalists Manipur. The last four games will be played on 3rd November 2023.
Urawa Red Diamonds vs Gokulam Kerala - AFC Women’s Club Championship 2023 (6 November 2023)
Gokulam Kerala women’s team will have a tough start to their AFC Women’s Club Championship 2023, the last edition before the new AFC Women’s Champions League takes its place, against WE League champions Urawa Red Diamonds. Although the side from Japan is making their debut in the competition, they will pose a stiff challenge to the Malabarians in their second competition appearance. The side also has players like Hana Takahashi, Hikaru Naomoto, Kiko Seike etc who competed in the Women’s World Cup for Japan earlier this year. The latter even scored in the 7-0 thrashing India received in the recent qualifiers so some players of Gokulam will have experience of that. Anthony Andrew’s team will do everything to avoid anything similar.
Mumbai City FC vs Al Hilal - AFC Champions League 2023/24 (6 November 2023)
While Neymar’s historical trip to India will not materialize because of his season-ending ACL injury, the other superstar of his team Al Hilal will certainly take to the pitch in DY Patil Stadium. The appropriate venue Mumbai City has got for a game of this magnitude. Although ticket sales will be affected due to the Brazilian superstar’s absence, the Islanders will hope to shine a light on their home turf. Des Buckingham’s side received a heavy beating in the reverse fixture in Saudi Arabia going down 6-0 with Aleksandar Mitrović scoring a hat-trick. The defeat leaves them pointless and goalless after three games. A repeat of this will surely eliminate Mumbai City FC from knockout chances in the AFC Champions League.
Maziya vs Odisha FC & Mohun Bagan SG vs Bashundhara Kings - AFC Cup 2023/24 (7 November 2023)
Odisha FC will travel to Maldives to face bottom-placed Maziya Sports & Recreation in demand for a victory. The Juggernauts, in third, won the first meeting 6-0 at home and a further three points in this clash will keep them in contention for the top spot in the group. Only the first-place side will qualify for the knockouts and the best-placed side to do so is Mohun Bagan Super Giant who leads the table on seven points. Three points better than Bashundhara Kings on second seeking the visit of the Mariners for the fourth game. The Bangladeshi champions will want their first victory over the Kolkata giants after holding them 2-2 in India and going level with them on points. In that case, the Green and Maroons will still retain their spot on top. However, Juan Ferrando’s men are looking to break the opposition's unbeaten record in King’s Arena to keep them in prime position for the knockouts.
National Games Men’s Football Final (8 November 2023)
Services and Manipur will battle out for the Gold in the final of the 37th National Games Men’s Football tournament in Goa. Both are making their debut appearance in the final so a great opportunity for either side to create an everlasting memory. While Services finished bronze medalists in the last edition, Manipur’s men’s side has not won a single thing in the National Games surprisingly unlike their women’s team’s success of five gold medals.
Gokulam Kerala vs Hualien FC & Bangkok FC - AFC Women’s Club Championship 2023 (9 and 12 November 2023)
Gokulam Kerala have to win their remaining two games of the AFC Women’s Club Championship and hope Urawa Red Diamonds, favorites to win the group, stumble on the way to keep their hope of reaching the final. Only the group leaders will move into the showpiece and it is looking increasingly difficult for the Malabarians to achieve it. Gokulam will count on their chances against Hualien FC from Chinese Taipei and Bangkok FC, representing the hosts Thailand.
