Ryan Williams joins India football team camp for AFC Asian Cup qualifiers
He is a 31-year-old winger from Bengaluru FC with one cap for Australia
His Indian heritage comes from his Anglo-Indian mother from Mumbai
Former Australia international Ryan Williams earned a call-up to the senior men's India national football team camp, which is preparing for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualification tie against Bangladesh.
The 31-year-old winger, who plays for Indian Super League (ISL) side Bengaluru FC, is awaiting a no-objection certificate from Football Australia, the final administrative step before his allegiance switch can formally proceed.
Ryan William's Indian Heritage
Ryan Williams' mother, who is Anglo-Indian, hails from Mumbai, establishing his Indian heritage. He holds one senior cap for Australia, which he earned from a June 2019 friendly against South Korea, where he did not score.
At the club level, Williams made 21 appearances for Bengaluru FC, scoring seven goals since his 2023 transfer from Perth Glory. He previously featured in the English Football League, with 81 appearances and five goals for MK Rotherham United, and 67 appearances and eight goals for Portsmouth.
Williams' pursuit of Indian citizenship has lasted over a year, and his aspiration for a player allegiance switch aligns with this. Having lived and played in India since 2023, his residency supports his eligibility for the India national football team.
AIFF Pursues Foreign Talent
Williams' journey to representing India began after a conversation where Sunil Chhetri reportedly mentioned Williams' Indian roots to AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey during their time at Bengaluru FC.
The AIFF will see Williams' pace, experience, and finishing abilities as enhancing the squad and strengthening India's wide attacking options.
His call-up, alongside Nepal-born defender Abneet Bharti, marks a shift in policy for the AIFF as the association explores fresh talent for the next qualifying cycle. However, neither Williams nor Bharti appears on the 23-player probables list Khalid Jamil released.
