Overview
- India and Panama played to a 1-1 draw on Friday, September 25, with Ryan Williams scoring for India and Omar Valencia equalising for Panama.
- Panama travelled with a large contingent of players from their 2026 World Cup squad and are ranked 44th while India sit 138th in the FIFA rankings, a 94-place gap that underlined the result’s significance.
- Coaches on both sides described the window as an experience-building chance to integrate youth and senior players rather than treat the games as do-or-die tests.
- The match was broadcast in India on the Sony Sports Network and streamed on SonyLIV after being brought forward by a day to avoid a local event clash.
- Fans criticised ticket prices reported between about ₹849 and ₹2,999 and complained of sparse stands and poor seat conditions at Sree Kanteerava Stadium, a concern organisers and the AIFF now face as attention shifts to Kolkata.