Why India Isn't At FIFA WC: The Question Everyone Gets Wrong | First Sports With Rupha Ramani | 4K

19 June 2026, 9:11 PM IST

India has a population of more than 1.4 billion people, yet the country has never played at the FIFA World Cup. It is a question often asked by international media and football fans around the world: how can a nation this large fail to qualify for football's biggest tournament? But is population really the reason countries succeed in football? Rupha Ramani examines why nations like Croatia, Uruguay and Japan have built successful football systems despite having far smaller populations, why talent alone is not enough, and the deeper structural issues facing Indian football today. From governance concerns and grassroots development to long-term planning and opportunity, First Sports takes a closer look at the questions India should actually be asking.
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