Three years after beginning his Indian club career in Bengaluru, Ryan Williams is set to walk out at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium wearing the national colours for the first time. Having earned two caps and scored a goal since his international debut in March this year, he will be looking to make his third appearance as the Blue Tigers open their international window against Panama on Friday, September 25, 2026.
For Williams, the next Friday marks a sentimental homecoming — returning to the venue where he spends his time running down the flanks for Bengaluru FC. He will still be in blue, but that of India this time. “It’s going to be special in every way, shape and form. I started my Indian footballing career here in Bangalore, and who would have thought three years ago that I would have been pulling on the jersey for India. It’s amazing. It’s a real full-circle moment,” said Williams.
The Panama fixture is the first of three heavyweight games for India, with the team then heading to Kolkata to face South American giants Brazil on October 3 and inaugural World Cup winners Uruguay on October 6. The magnitude of this international window tells only half the story for Williams.
Unlike the standard 10-day international breaks, India have a three-week block under head coach Khalid Jamil, giving them the luxury of time together. The 32-year-old believes this period is set to pay dividends on the pitch. “Usually it’s 10 days, but we have three weeks together, which is valuable time for us to connect more, get the ideas from the coach and try different things in training,” he said.
Facing a trio of FIFA World Cup 2026 participants will provide an immediate test of the Blue Tigers’ extended training camp. Williams, however, is relishing the challenge, viewing the high-profile line-ups purely as a priceless yardstick. “First of all, the feeling is excitement. Obviously, the time together is really good for our preparation and for us going forward,” he said.
“Three massive games that are obviously a huge test for us. But that’s what we want. That’s what we’re after — to see how these bigger teams do it, what we can take from these games, see how much we can learn and see how we use them going forward.
“I’m super, super excited to play at the Kanteerava, because that’s where I’ve spent most of my time here in India. I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of fans from BFC, and obviously of India as well,” said Williams.
“For me, it’s a really special moment to be able to wear the blue of India now, playing at the (Kanteerava) stadium. I’m extremely excited.”
