Futsal in India is showing promising signs of growth, with 17 teams participating in the annual AIFF Futsal Club Championship. The Indian men's futsal national team is preparing for the AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers in Kuwait from September 20 to 24.

Reza Kordi, the head coach of the Indian futsal team, sees great potential in India. Kordi, who has coached in Iran, Qatar, Kuwait, Myanmar, and Thailand, was present at the Futsal Club Championship in Rudrapur to scout talent for the Asian qualifiers. According to Kordi, the main difference between Indian players and those from other countries is the knowledge and experience of futsal. He believes that Indian players are fast, intelligent, and have a strong mentality, but they need more exposure. With the right system and regular competition, Kordi is optimistic that India can reach the top four in Asia.

Kordi appreciates the All India Football Federation (AIFF) for the opportunity and believes that now is the time to develop a strong team culture. The team assembled in Bengaluru for a 20-day camp to prepare for the Asian qualifiers after the best players from the AIFF Futsal Club Championship were scouted.

India is in Group A for the AFC Futsal Asian Cup qualifiers, where they will face Kuwait, Australia, and Mongolia. Kordi believes the Futsal Tigers have a good chance of qualifying. The top teams in each group and the seven best second-placed teams will join hosts Indonesia in the tournament.

India's futsal journey is relatively new. The AIFF decided to include a futsal club competition in their calendar from the 2020–21 season. The first edition of the club championship was held in November 2021, followed by the second in February 2023. Based on the Futsal Club Championship, the AIFF scouts selected a 31-member squad for the national team camp to create the India national futsal team.

The India national futsal team debuted against Bahrain in an international friendly on August 12, 2023. The 2024 AFC Futsal Asian Cup qualification was their first international competition, held in October 2023. India was in Group E and faced Tajikistan, Myanmar, and Palestine. David Laltlansanga scored all the goals in the first match against Tajikistan, becoming the first goal scorer and the first to score a hat-trick for the national team. However, India lost all three matches and failed to qualify for the 2024 AFC Futsal Asian Cup.

The AIFF is committed to investing in futsal, with Iran as the benchmark country for the sport's development. Despite setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AIFF initiated its first national-scale endeavor in 2021 with the Hero Futsal Club Championship. The AIFF aims to make India a futsal nation, providing young players with opportunities to reach the international level.