India will travel to face Hong Kong on 10th June 2025
The Indian national football team started their 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers with a goalless draw against Bangladesh and will now go on to face Hong Kong. The Blue Tigers had their share of chances but were not able to make it count.
With five games to go, the pressure will now amp up on Manolo Marquez’s side. The Indian national football team are scheduled to play a friendly against Thailand on 4th June before their all-important clash against Hong Kong, China on 10th June.
In 2022, India registered a 4-0 win over the Dragons in their Asian Cup 2024 qualifiers. However, the task will not be easy this time around given that Hong Kong have scheduled a few heavyweight friendlies before the clash.
Hong Kong are set to play Manchester United
The Hong Kong national football team is set to play English football giants Manchester United in a friendly game on 30th May. The match will be played at the Hong Kong Stadium that will seat a total of 40,000 spectators.
Manchester United’s post-season tour also sees them play against the ASEAN All Stars on 28th May ahead of their encounter against the Dragons. Both matches will be live for the fans on United’s official channel – MUTV.
The game against the Red Devils will certainly help Hong Kong, China in their preparation for the Asian Cup qualifier. To add to that, the Dragons will also play a friendly against Nepal on 5th June ahead of their match against India.
Manchester United on the other hand have suffered one of their worst seasons in recent history. Ruben Amorims side finished 15th in the Premier League and lost the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur to end their season without silverware.
These post-season friendlies could help the United management in giving game time to a few of their academy players. With multiple changes expected in terms of personnel, the Red Devils might look like an entirely new prospect next season.
Hong Kong football team’s form in recent games
Coached by former Bengaluru FC head coach Ashley Westwood, the Hong Kong, China football team are currently ranked 153rd in the FIFA Rankings. They are currently unbeaten in their last four games, including wins against Cambodia, the Philippines, and Mauritius in friendlies.
Hong Kong, China started their AFC Asian Cup 2027- round 3 qualifiers with a goalless draw against Singapore. Hence, the pressure will be on them to get points on the board at home against the Indian national football team in June.
Can India return to winning ways?
After going winless in the entirety of 2024, the Blue Tigers started the year 2025 with a 3-0 win against the Maldives in a friendly in March. While the goalless draw against Bangladesh was disappointing, India did have a few positives in the game.
Thailand and Hong Kong, China will both be tough prospects for India in June. However, a couple of wins will boost morale and also help push the team upwards in the FIFA Rankings ahead of the 2025-26 football season.
For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.
