Did India ever qualify for the FIFA World Cup?

India has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup. The national team came closest in 1950, when it qualified by default after several other teams withdrew, but India itself withdrew before the tournament due to financial reasons and a preference for playing barefoot.

Since then, India has consistently failed to advance past the qualifying rounds. The team has entered qualification for most World Cups since 1950 but has never finished high enough in the Asian Football Confederation's qualifying tournaments to secure a spot.

India's best performance in World Cup qualifying came in the 2018 cycle, when it reached the third round for the first time. However, it finished bottom of its group and did not advance further.

Despite a growing football fanbase and increased investment in the sport, India remains one of the most populous countries never to have played in a FIFA World Cup.