The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has arranged a friendly match for the India team against Zambia in Doha on May 25. The match is part of India's preparation for the AFC Asian Cup China 2023 Qualifiers Final Round scheduled to be held in Kolkata from June 8. The match comes close on the heels of the friendlies India played against Bahrain and Belarus in March. India have been camping since April 23, 2022, first in Bellary, and now in Kolkata where the national squad will also play two more friendly matches against a combined All-Star XI from the I-League, the Bengal Santosh Trophy contingent. The senior team has already played ATK Mohun Bagan in a friendly match on May 11. The AFC Asian Cup China 2023 Qualifiers Final Round will be held across three match days on June 8, 11 and 14, 2022, with the group winners, and the best five second-placed teams earning a ticket to the Asian Cup in China which is slated to kick off on June 16, 2023.