The Indian men's football team is set to face Oman in the third-place playoff of the CAFA Nations Cup 2025 at the Hisor Central Stadium in Tajikistan on September 8, 2025. This marks India's debut appearance in the CAFA Nations Cup.

India secured their place in the third-place match after a 0-0 draw against Afghanistan in their last Group B encounter. They finished second in Group B with four points, thanks to their 2-1 victory over Tajikistan in the opening match. A 2-2 draw between Iran and Tajikistan sealed India's progression. Iran topped Group B with seven points.

Anwar Ali, the Blue Tigers' centre-back, sees the third-place match as a valuable opportunity for the team to prepare for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers. India is scheduled to play two matches against Singapore next month as part of the qualifiers. Ali emphasized the importance of gaining more time and confidence by playing at the international level. He stated, "I think it's a good opportunity for us to prepare for the Asian Cup qualifiers. We will give it our best on Monday and try to get that third place".

Ali's role in the defense has become even more crucial following Sandesh Jhingan's cheekbone fracture during the match against Iran. Jhingan has been ruled out for the remainder of the CAFA Nations Cup. Ali, who earned the Player of the Match award for his outstanding performance against Afghanistan, will likely partner with Rahul Bheke in the heart of the Indian defense. Ali acknowledged Jhingan's absence, saying, "He is obviously a big miss for us, but that's how things are in football. We hope he'll be back soon, but till then, the rest of us have to keep performing our roles, and keep filling in his boots".

Oman, India's opponent in the third-place match, finished second in Group A behind Uzbekistan. Despite securing the same number of points as Uzbekistan, Oman will aim to maintain their undefeated streak in the tournament.

The Blue Tigers, under new head coach Khalid Jamil, have displayed defensive discipline throughout the tournament. Despite struggling for goals in their last two matches, they have shown tactical resilience. This match provides a chance for India to finish on the podium in their maiden CAFA Nations Cup campaign.

The match is scheduled to take place at 17:30 IST and will be streamed live on FanCode. India is currently ranked 133rd in the FIFA rankings, while Oman is ranked 79th.