The sports agency that brought Panama, Brazil and Uruguay to India is looking to make such visits from high-profile international teams an annual affair. They are also looking to get a top club to play in India as part of their pre-season tour of Asia in 2027.
“We are talking to a number of top-20 teams (in the FIFA rankings). We want to do one really big match in India a year; that’s the minimum target. We are not here for just one match,” said Anuj Kichlu, who, along with partner Saurav Chatterjee runs Best of You, an agency that is part of the Best 11 group representing Casemiro and Xabi Alonso among others.
Headquartered in Madrid, Best 11 has offices in Asia, Europe and South America. The Indian arm began operations in 2019 and represents nearly 35 players in the Indian Super League (ISL).
If India is not taking part in any competition, they are looking at the next two international windows in March and June, said Kichlu. “In June, we can get India to participate in a tournament abroad but in March we are looking to get a team to visit. And a top club in July.”
Calling themselves “representatives of the away teams,” Chatterjee said getting Brazil to India for the first time, along with two more teams from the 2026 World Cup, was “making a statement.” “A lot of people couldn’t believe that Brazil and Uruguay would bring their first teams.” And all three teams charged less than they otherwise would have, said Kichlu.
Wiser for the experience, the company can now better guide promoters of future events, said Chatterjee. “With a laundry list.” Top on that list would be support from governments, he said. Getting enough time would be next. “A minimum of six months is needed to ensure proper promotion. Sponsor activation has to happen from then,” said Chatterjee. Getting financial backing from public and private sectors would be an important third. “That would help underwrite costs and reduce the price of tickets.”
The price of tickets for the India-Panama match in Bengaluru on September 25 ranged from ₹499 to ₹9,999. Those for the October 3 game against Brazil were between ₹999- ₹25,000. For the India-Uruguay match three days later, the minimum price was ₹749 with the most expensive seats going for ₹9,999. One day before the match against Uruguay, All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced that tickets worth ₹1999 would be available for ₹199.
The government of West Bengal also issued around 22,000 tickets free of charge to those who had bought tickets for Lionel Messi’s visit to Kolkata last December which ended in crowd trouble after the Argentine superstar, surrounded by people on the pitch, made a quick exit.
It was during the Unity Cup in London, where India played Jamaica and Zimbabwe, that the idea of using the September-October window germinated, said Chatterjee. “A director from Best of You had travelled from Spain and we thought, ‘What better way to make an impact than getting Brazil?’” That’s when it started, in May.”
Months of working through nights due to different time zones followed. Negotiations continued for over two months before Brazil agreed, said Kichlu. What worked for India was that Brazil were already coming to Australia, he said.
With Europe playing the Nations League and Africa locked in 2027 Cup of Nations qualifiers, there was a lot of exchange between Asia and South America in this window. But India was the only country that had never played in the World Cup that hosted teams from the 2026 edition.
Chatterjee and Kichlu did not give exact figures but based on what they shared, it would have cost around $6m to get the teams to India. “Typically, Brazil charge around $4m for such friendlies. For Uruguay, that amount is around $2m including broadcast rights, but we got them for around half that price. And all the teams that made the World Cup finals charge between $200,000 to $800,000 depending on their ranking,” said Kichlu.
Both said they were convinced that given time and planning, such matches can work in India. Having realised the kind of global visibility these games can provide, many brands have reached out to us inquiring about future plans, said Kichlu. The good stadium experience at the games also assuaged fears of those who were put off by how the Messi show had unravelled, he said. “We hope to be able to get Spain to India before the next World Cup,” said Kichlu.