Ryan Williams, Abneet Bharti Join India Football National Camp, Signals AIFF Policy Shift

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has named two overseas players, Ryan Williams and Abneet Bharti, for the national camp in Bengaluru. This camp precedes the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifier against Bangladesh in Dhaka on November 18.

The federation's decision reflects a bold approach, paving the way for Indian-origin players and those who renounce foreign citizenship to represent the country.

The camp starts in Bengaluru on Thursday, and both players are expected to join soon. If cleared, they will link up with the squad in Dhaka for the November 18 qualifier, marking a new, inclusive chapter for Indian football.

Ryan Williams: From Australia To India's National Squad

Ryan Williams, a 31-year-old midfielder born in Perth, represented Australia at the U-20 and U-23 levels. He also featured for their senior team as a second-half substitute during a 2019 friendly against South Korea. Williams played for English clubs Fulham and Portsmouth before joining former Indian Super League champions Bengaluru FC in 2023.

Williams' mother was born into an Anglo-Indian family in Mumbai, and his twin brother, Aryn, spent time at Indian clubs, including NEROCA FC. Earlier this year, Williams expressed his desire to give up his Australian passport and take up Indian citizenship, which he recently received.

An engaging Instagram video showed Sunil Chhetri conducting a mock citizenship interview with Williams. Chhetri playfully tested him with tongue-in-cheek India-specific questions such as, "Haar ke jeetne wale ko kya kehte hain?" and "Rishtey mein hum tumhare…?" The light-hearted clip concluded with Williams proudly collecting his Indian passport.

"Honoured to make official what’s long felt true. Grateful for the love, the opportunity, and the sense of belonging this country has given me," Williams wrote in the captions. "As you can see, the last round of interviews was the hardest. India, I’m one of your own!"

AIFF's Policy Shift With Government Backing

This development indicates a shift for the AIFF, as it now allows Indian-origin players to represent the country and permits those who renounce foreign citizenship to play.

AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey confirmed that Sunil Chhetri initially informed him of Williams' interest during a national camp in Kolkata in May.

"Sunil Chhetri gave the first information about Ryan Williams, who wants to play for India, by giving up his Australian passport," Chaubey said. "From then on, the process started." The federation then commenced the necessary paperwork, with significant government support.

Chaubey thanked the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, specifically Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, for accelerating the citizenship process. "It's a collective effort for expediting Ryan Williams' passport process. Which usually takes a lot of time (involving clearances from several Ministries and agencies)," he said.

Abneet Bharti: Expanding India's Global Talent Search

Abneet Bharti, a 27-year-old defender born in Nepal but holding Indian citizenship, is currently based in Brazil. He plays for Academia del Balompie Boliviano (ABB), a first-division club in Bolivia.

Bharti began his career with Shastri FC in New Delhi before joining Geylang International’s youth set-up in Singapore. He has also played in Poland, Portugal, Mexico, Argentina, the Czech Republic, and Bolivia. Additionally, he featured for Kerala Blasters in ISL 2019-20.

The AIFF learned about Bharti through the Indian embassy in Brazil. "We got to know of him through the Indian embassy in Brazil. We then invited him to join the national camp," Chaubey said.

"For Bharti, AIFF wants to give credit to the Indian embassy in Brazil for informing us. If they got to play for India, it would be a proud moment."

The AIFF intends to broaden its search for talent by identifying Indian passport holders who play professionally abroad.

"We will try to reach out to other regions in the world, especially football-playing nations, where Indian passport holders are playing," Chaubey said. "Through media and other platforms, we would like to invite them to contact us, to make a stronger national team."

Meanwhile, India remain out of the race for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 but aims to conclude qualifying on a positive note while rebuilding its squad under head coach Khalid Jameel.

(With PTI Inputs)