India faced Afghanistan in a crucial Group B match of the CAFA Nations Cup 2025, with the Blue Tigers aiming for a spot in the third-place playoff. The game took place at the Hisor Central Stadium in Tajikistan.

India's campaign in the CAFA Nations Cup began with a positive 2-1 victory over hosts Tajikistan. However, they faced a setback against Iran, losing 3-0. Afghanistan, already out of contention for the tournament final, were eager to play spoiler, especially after their surprise win over India in a World Cup qualifier the previous year.

The match started at 5:30 PM IST. For Indian viewers, the match was not televised, but live streaming was available on FanCode.

The stakes were high for India, as a win would keep their hopes alive for a third-place playoff spot. The team, under the guidance of newly appointed head coach Khalid Jamil, aimed to rewrite their recent history against Afghanistan, which included a draw and a defeat in the 2024 World Cup qualifiers.

The starting XI for India included Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (gk), Rahul Bheke (c), Anwar Ali, Nikhil Prabhu, Suresh Singh, Irfan Yadwad, Naorem Mahesh Singh, Valpuia, Jithin MS, Muhammed Uvais, and Ashique Kuruniyan. Afghanistan's starting XI featured Faisal Ahmad Hamidi (gk), Zelfagar Nazary (c), Amid Arezou, Mahboon Hanifi, Balal Arezou, Taufee Skandanri, Qamaruddin Maziar, Kouhyar, Yama Sherzad, Mohammad Naeem Rahimi, Ali Reza, Panahi, and Omid Musawi.

Both head coaches, Khalid Jamil of India and Vincenzo Annese of Afghanistan, have a connection through NorthEast United FC (NEUFC) in the Indian Super League (ISL). Jamil joined NEUFC in the 2019-20 season, becoming the first Indian head coach in ISL history, while Annese took charge in December 2022 before departing to manage the Nepal national team in March 2023.