India to face New Zealand in November friendly series

India is scheduled to play a two-match international friendly series against New Zealand in November 2026. The fixtures, set for November 12 at Go Media Stadium in Auckland and November 15 at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch, were announced as part of the ‘100 Years of Unity Through Sport’ initiative during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to New Zealand in July 2026.

Due to a scheduling conflict with the SAFF Championship in Dhaka, Bangladesh, there is speculation that India may send a U-23 or reserve squad to New Zealand. However, head coach Khalid Jamil has expressed a preference for sending the senior team to face the World Cup participants to ensure the squad competes against stronger opponents.