India Women Face Russia in Kolkata Tonight in First of Two Friendlies

India’s women’s football team will face Russia in Kolkata on October 8 in the first of two international friendlies scheduled during the FIFA women’s international window. The All India Football Federation says the match will begin at 6 PM IST at Kishore Bharati Krirangan, with a second meeting set for October 11.

Key points

• India’s women face Russia in Kolkata at 6 PM IST on October 8.
• AIFF says the fixture is the Blue Tigresses’ first international appearance in Kolkata.
• A second India-Russia friendly is scheduled for October 11 at the same Kolkata venue.

Context

AIFF said the October window gives India a chance to test a younger group against higher-ranked opposition after winning the SAFF Women’s Championship in June. The federation’s October 7 preview lists India at 69th in the world and Russia at 27th, while also publishing a 24-player Indian squad for the two matches.

The federation has promoted the fixture as a significant Kolkata appearance for the national women’s team. Match reports and score claims should be treated separately after kick-off; this article is a pre-match update and does not imply a result before play begins.

Why it matters

Friendlies against stronger opposition can give coaches useful information about shape, pressing, squad depth and decision-making under pressure without tournament points at stake. For supporters in Kolkata, the fixture also brings the senior women’s national side into the city for a rare home international occasion.

Read more in our Sports coverage.

Sources and image

Sources checked October 8, 2026: AIFF preview, October 7; AIFF fixture announcement, September 27; Times of India, October 8.

Cover illustration updated 16 October 2026: Original AI-assisted editorial illustration created exclusively for this article by Taaza Khabar with the built-in image generation tool. Conceptual illustration of anonymous women footballers preparing for a friendly; not a match photograph or result. Original publication date retained.

AI-assisted original report based on the linked sources; the match is described as scheduled because it had not begun when this report was prepared.