Four Indian-Origin Players Set to Shine in FIFA World Cup 2026
A Historic Moment for Indian-Origin Players
India's aspiration to qualify for the FIFA World Cup has yet to be realized. However, the upcoming 23rd edition, commencing on June 11 in the Americas, will showcase four players of Indian descent.
The players—Sarpreet Singh, Samuel Moutoussamy, Nishan Velupillay, and Tahsin Mohammed—are following in the footsteps of Vikash Dhorasoo, a French midfielder who participated in the 2006 World Cup held in Germany.
Dhorasoo's ancestry traces back to Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh. Let's delve into the profiles of these remarkable athletes.
Sarpreet Singh (New Zealand)
Sarpreet Singh was born in Auckland to Punjabi parents and has previously played in India during the Intercontinental Cup in 2018 in Mumbai. He faced off against notable players like Sunil Chhetri after making his debut for New Zealand earlier that year. He was part of an U23 development squad as New Zealand opted not to send their first team.
He scored against Kenya and assisted in both goals during New Zealand's 2-1 victory over India.
New Zealand secured the title, while Sarpreet's team finished third in the four-nation tournament.
In 2019, Sarpreet made history as the first player of Indian heritage to compete in Germany's top division, debuting for Bayern Munich after transferring from Wellington Phoenix in the Australian A-League. He came on as a substitute against Werder Bremen.
Initially, the 27-year-old midfielder played with Bayern's reserve team in the third division, but his outstanding performances led to a first-team debut under manager Hansi Flick.
Sarpreet's first senior start for Bayern Munich occurred on June 20, 2020, against SC Freiburg, contributing to the squad that clinched the Bundesliga title in the 2019-2020 season.
Following his time in Germany, he spent a season with Uniao de Leiria in Portugal before joining FK TSC in the Serbian SuperLiga in 2025.
This year, he returned to New Zealand, playing in the A-League for Phoenix on loan from FK TSC. After an injury sidelined him for eight weeks in February, he made a comeback in April and secured a spot in New Zealand's World Cup squad of 26. Sarpreet has earned 24 international caps and scored three goals for New Zealand, also representing the nation in the 2017 and 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cups.
Samuel Moutoussamy (DR Congo)
Samuel Moutoussamy was born in France to a Congolese mother and an Indo-Guadeloupean father of Tamil descent. The Indo-Guadeloupean community primarily descends from indentured laborers who migrated from South India in the late 19th century.
According to FIFA regulations, a player can represent a national team if a biological parent or grandparent was born in that country, provided they hold the respective passport.
Currently, the 29-year-old midfielder plays for Atromitos in the Greek Super League and has accumulated 57 caps for the DR Congo national team since his debut in 2019. He has previously played for FC Nantes in France and Turkish club Ozbelsan Sivasspor.
Nishan Velupillay (Australia)
Nishan Velupillay, a 25-year-old winger, was born in Melbourne to an Anglo-Indian mother and a Malaysian father of Sri Lankan Tamil heritage. He is among 17 players in the Socceroos' 26-member squad making their FIFA World Cup debut. Currently, he plays for Melbourne Victory in Australia's top-tier A-League.
He made his debut for Australia in October 2024 during the 2026 World Cup qualification round, scoring in his first appearance as a substitute against China.
Since then, Nishan has earned seven additional senior caps for Australia, scoring three goals, all during World Cup qualifiers. He grew up in Melbourne, attended Mazenod College in Mulgrave, and began his football journey at Glen Eira FC before joining the Melbourne Victory academy.
Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid (Qatar)
Tahsin Mohammed, who will turn 20 on June 16, was born in Doha to Malayali parents who relocated from Kannur to Qatar in 2006.
He was introduced to football by his father, Jamshid, a former player for the University of Calicut. Jamshid, now an accountant in Qatar, hails from Thalassery, while his mother, Shyma, is from Valapattanam near Kannur.
Tahsin developed his football skills at the Aspire Academy in Doha, becoming the first player of Indian origin to compete in the Qatar Stars League, the country's premier competition. He currently plays for Al Duhail SC.
As a winger, he made his international debut against Afghanistan in 2024 during the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. That group also included India, and Tahsin was on the bench when Qatar defeated India 2-1 in a controversial match on June 11, 2024.
He has also participated in two international friendlies against Zimbabwe (2025) and Ireland (2026) but has yet to score.
Niall Mason Misses Out
Niall Mason, a 29-year-old defender for Qatar SC, was included in Qatar's preliminary 34-man World Cup squad but did not make the final 26-man roster. He was born in England to an Indian mother and an American father.
ISL Connection with the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Duckens Nazon, a former player for Kerala Blasters, is part of the Haiti squad. The forward, currently with Iranian club Esteghlal, played for Blasters during the 2016 ISL season. At just 22, he joined Kochi after stints with French clubs Lorient II and Olympique Saint-Quentin.
Now 32, Nazon scored a vital goal in a 2-1 victory over FC Pune City, helping his team qualify for the ISL playoffs. He has represented Haiti 78 times since his debut in 2014 and is their all-time leading scorer with 44 goals.