India are grouped alongside hosts UAE in Group A, as well as Thailand and Bahrain. In March 2015, India slipped to their lowest FIFA Ranking of 173 but have grown from strength to strength since, claiming the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship in 2015, the 2017 Tri-Nations Series, and most recently in June, where they beat Kenya 2-0 to clinch the 2018 Intercontinental Cup. India are now ranked 97.
