Bhaichung Bhutia urges fans to boycott Brazil match over Rs 70-crore spend

Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia has pressed fans to boycott the India-Brazil friendly scheduled for October 3 at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium, questioning the noted Rs 50-70 crore expenditure on the one-off match.

What happened

As reports indicate, criticised the AIFF for prioritising an exhibition game while Indian clubs face financial difficulties, bhutia. He additionally resisted the decision to withdraw India from the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup to accommodate the Brazil fixture, arguing that competitive matches would provide greater value to the national team.

He further cautioned that spending heavily on the event could drain commercial investment from Bengal football and called on the West Bengal administration to instead invest in grassroots infrastructure, including futsal grounds.

In practice, the AIFF has rejected his claims and challenged Bhutia to provide evidence for his financial allegations. The federation maintains that hosting Brazil is a rare opportunity that could raise the profile of Indian football and boost the national team's morale.

The bottom line

In short, bhaichung Bhutia urges fans to boycott Brazil match over Rs 70 is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.