For the first time in FIFA World Cup history, players of Indian heritage have made their mark for both Australia and New Zealand, with Melbourne-born Nishan Velupillay and Auckland-born Sarpreet Singh creating landmark moments for the Indian and wider South Asian diaspora.
Velupillay, 25, became the first player of Tamil heritage to represent Australia at a FIFA World Cup after being selected in the Socceroos’ 2026 World Cup squad. The Melbourne Victory winger’s journey from local football fields to the world’s biggest sporting stage has become a source of pride for Australia’s Tamil and Indian communities.
Born and raised in Melbourne, Velupillay has Sri Lankan Tamil heritage through his father and Anglo-Indian heritage through his mother. A product of the Melbourne Victory academy, he made his senior international debut in October 2024 during a World Cup qualifier against China, scoring shortly after coming off the bench.
Since then, he has become a key attacking option for Australia, earning seven international appearances and scoring three goals — all during World Cup qualifying matches. His selection for the 2026 tournament marked another milestone after years of development through Australia’s domestic football system.
Across the Tasman, New Zealand midfielder Sarpreet Singh also made history by becoming the first footballer of Indian origin to start a FIFA World Cup match.
The 27-year-old, born in Auckland to Punjabi parents, started for the All Whites in their dramatic 2–2 draw against Iran in their opening Group G match in Los Angeles.
Wearing the No.10 shirt, Singh played almost the entire match and played a role in New Zealand’s attacking efforts, recording several attempts on goal during the contest.
Singh’s journey has taken him from New Zealand’s A-League system to one of Europe’s biggest clubs. In 2019, he became the first Indian-origin footballer to play in Germany’s Bundesliga when he made his debut for Bayern Munich. He later played in Germany, Portugal and Serbia before returning to Wellington Phoenix on loan.
The achievements of Velupillay and Singh come at a significant moment for the Indian diaspora across Australia and New Zealand, where football participation among migrant communities continues to grow.
Their World Cup appearances follow a long history of players with Indian ancestry making progress on the international stage, but represent a breakthrough moment for South Asian representation in the modern era of global football.
Two other footballers of Indian origin — Samuel Moutoussamy of DR Congo and Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid of Qatar — are part of their respective World Cup squads.
Before the 2026 tournament, former Vikash Dhorasoo was the only player of Indian descent to appear in a FIFA World Cup, representing France at the 2006 tournament. Now, two players from the Australia-New Zealand region have carried that legacy further — showing how migration, multiculturalism and football pathways are reshaping the world’s most watched sport.
Support our Journalism
No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.
