Indian origin player debut for Australia
Australia: Indian-origin footballer Nishan Velupillay made his FIFA World Cup debut on Sunday, June 14, as Australia registered a strong 2–0 win over Turkiye in their opening group-stage match.
Velupillay, 25, was introduced in the 61st minute and played a composed defensive role as Australia held on to their two-goal lead against a competitive Turkish side. While he had limited opportunities to contribute in attack, he helped stabilize the defence during the closing stages.
Born to Anglo-Indian mother Gillian Velupillay, Nishan rose through the ranks of local clubs and Melbourne Victory’s academy system. He made his senior international debut for Australia in 2024 during a FIFA World Cup qualifier against China, where he scored within minutes of coming on to secure a 3–1 victory.
Since then, he has earned eight international caps and scored three goals, all in World Cup qualifying matches, establishing himself as one of Australia’s promising young talents.
His consistent performances earned him a place in Australia’s 26-man squad for the tournament under coach Tony Popovic.
With his appearance against Turkiye, Velupillay became the first Indian-origin footballer to feature in the FIFA World Cup 2026 edition.
