India Assures Asian Cup Qualifier vs Hong Kong Will Proceed

Indian football officials have assured that the national team's AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifier against Hong Kong will proceed as scheduled on March 31 in Kochi, despite a pre-match press conference being cancelled after the head coach and players were denied entry to the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

The incident occurred on Thursday when head coach Khalid Jamil and three players, including Kerala natives Ashique Kuruniyan, Sahal Abdul Samad, and Bijoy Varghese, arrived at the stadium for a media interaction ahead of the fixture. Security staff from the Greater Cochin Development Authority, which owns the venue, blocked their access due to an unpaid security deposit and rent owed by the Kerala Football Association. The association, responsible for local arrangements, had not yet cleared a mandatory deposit estimated at around 20 lakh rupees, along with additional rental fees, required to secure the stadium for four days as per Asian Football Confederation guidelines.

The press conference was ultimately called off, forcing Jamil and the players to leave without addressing reporters. Journalists were also turned away as the main gates remained closed. A source within the All India...