On June 15, 2026, midfielder Sarpreet Singh created history by becoming the first footballer of Indian origin to start a match in a FIFA World Cup tournament. The 27-year-old achieved this milestone while representing New Zealand against Iran in their opening Group G match, held at the Los Angeles Stadium in California, USA. The high-intensity match ended in a 2-2 draw.
Born in Auckland to Punjabi parents from Jalandhar, Sarpreet wore the prestigious No. 10 jersey and played 92 minutes. Notably, former French midfielder Vikash Dhorasoo (in 2006) and Australia’s Nishan Velupillay (who debuted as a substitute on June 13, 2026) are the only other players of Indian descent to feature in World Cup history. Sarpreet also holds the record for being the first Indian-origin player to play in Germany’s top-tier league, the Bundesliga, for Bayern Munich in 2019.
