Indian Football Team has arrived in Kuala Lumpur for the Merdeka Cup, an annual tournament organized by the Football Association of Malaysia. Initially, 4 nations were going to participate in the tournament. However, now India, Malaysia and Tajikistan are the 3 participating sides after Palestine’s withdrawal. Meanwhile, football freaks want to know on which TV channel they will be able to watch the Merdeka Cup 2023 live telecast in India. In this space, you will get to know Merdeka Tournament’s live streaming and broadcast details.
After Palestine’s withdrawal, Blue Tigers will be favourites to win the Malaysian tournament. India with a FIFA ranking of 102 is currently the best-ranked team among the three participants. On the other hand, Tajikistan and Malaysia are currently ranked 110 and 134 respectively in the world.
Indian Football team last participated in the Asian Games 2023 where they didn’t have a great time. The Sunil Chhetri-led side was knocked out of the medal race by Saudi Arabia in the round of 16 stage. However, the year 2023 has proven to be a remarkable one for the Blue Tigers as they clinched victory in the SAFF Championship, secured the Intercontinental Cup, and made a significant breakthrough by entering the top 100 in the FIFA rankings.
Merdeka Cup 2023 Schedule
Previously, the tournament was structured as a four-match competition, featuring two semifinal matches, a third-place playoff, and a final match. However, due to Palestine’s decision to withdraw from the Cup, Tajikistan has been granted direct entry to the final match with a bye. Now, the winner of the Malaysia vs India match will meet Tajikistan in the final. Here’s the schedule of the Merdeka Tournament 2023 in Indian Standard Timing.
- October 13: Semi-final – India vs Malaysia, Bukit Jalil Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, 6:30 PM IST
- October 17: Final – Tajikistan vs India/Malaysia, Bukit Jalil Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, 6:30 PM IST
Merdeka Cup 2023 Live Telecast in India
Eurosport India channel has secured the rights to telecast the Merdeka Cup 2023. It is the same channel that broadcasted India’s King’s Cup matches last month. The channel can be found in the various DTH platforms and cable TV as well.
Merdeka Cup 2023 Channel Number in DTH services:
Dish TV: Eurosport SD (Channel 630), Eurosport HD (Channel 629)
Tata Sky/ Tata Play: Eurosport SD (Channel 496), Eurosport HD (Channel 495)
Airtel Digital TV: Eurosport HD (Channel 305)
Videocon d2h Dish: Eurosport SD (Channel 653), Eurosport HD (Channel 652)
Sun Direct DTH: Eurosport HD (Channel 989)
Merdeka Tournament Live Streaming Details
Both games of the Merdeka Tournament can be watched online for free on YouTube. The official YT channel of AIFF ‘India Football’ will stream the matches.