Welcome to Dev's Digest, a regular Sky Sports column where Asian Football Award winner Dev Trehan shares exclusive updates and reflects on the most significant developments affecting British South Asians in football. Indian football authorities are growing increasingly optimistic that players of Indian descent who have grown up in the United Kingdom will soon be eligible to represent the national side, Sky Sports News reveals in an exclusive report. Under the current eligibility rules, footballers of Indian heritage who hold foreign passports cannot play for India unless they renounce their overseas citizenship.
This restriction has denied British‑Indian talent the chance to gain international caps and to help India climb back into the top‑100 of the FIFA world rankings. However, a senior official has now told Sky Sports News that he is "convinced" the regulatory barrier will be removed, opening the door for eligible overseas‑based players to don the Indian jersey. In response to Sky Sports News, former Mumbai City FC chief operating officer Arunava Chaudhuri said: "We are closer than ever to seeing Overseas Citizens of India wearing the Blue Tigers kit. Diaspora footballers from Europe have the potential to raise the Indian team to a new level." He added that the conversation extends beyond football, noting that India’s upcoming hosting of the Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad and its bid for the 2036 Olympic Games could benefit from a stronger sporting profile.
Sky Sports News has been tracking the aspirations of British‑born players of Indian origin for more than ten years. In 2014, former Newcastle United striker Michael Chopra announced his willingness to represent India and mentioned that cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar had offered to help him achieve that goal.
Three years later, in 2017, Millwall defender Danny Batth – whose father was born in Punjab – expressed his desire to play for India during an interview with senior Sky Sports correspondent Rob Dorsett. The story also touches on West Ham United’s broader commitment to inclusion.
Interim chief executive Karim Virani, speaking at a West Ham and Inclusive Irons event organised with Desi Ballers to mark South Asian Heritage Month, emphasized that while the club’s immediate aim is to secure promotion back to the Premier League, it also strives to champion equality on and off the pitch. He highlighted that every match – whether men’s, women’s or academy – should be an environment where all participants feel welcome. The event featured club ambassadors Matt Jarvis and Bobby Seagull and showcased the 2025/26 British South Asians in Football Team of the Season.
In other business news, Sky News reports that a consortium led by British‑Indian entrepreneur Amit Bhatia is on the verge of acquiring roughly a one‑third stake in Liverpool FC. Bhatia’s group includes high‑profile investors such as Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Facebook co‑founder Eduardo Saverin.
The proposed investment would value Liverpool at about £4.4 billion (approximately $6 billion), positioning it among the most valuable deals in football history. Both Liverpool and the Fenway Sports Group have been contacted for comment. Turning to the Championship, the league’s reopening on Friday offers a chance to reminisce about one of the author’s favourite moments from eight years ago: Yan Dhanda’s debut for Swansea City. The young winger’s first senior appearance came on a bright afternoon at Bramall Lane, with the match tied 1‑1 late in Graham Potter’s inaugural game as Swansea manager against Sheffield United.
Dhanda recalled his nerves and excitement, saying he had been dreaming of scoring on his debut and that when the ball fell to him in the final minutes he instinctively struck it, sending it into the net to the delight of his father and cousin in the stands. The goal remains one of the most memorable flashes of youthful promise in the author’s career. In loan news, Fulham prospect Farhaan Ali Wahid has moved to National League side Boreham Wood to gain his first taste of senior football after a standout season in the Premier League 2, where he recorded 17 goal contributions in 21 appearances and earned a nomination for PL2 Player of the Season. Meanwhile, Riya Mannu has completed a transfer to West Bromwich Albion Women, and Pakistan international Zahmena Malik has signed for Actonians.
Both moves were disclosed exclusively by Sky Sports News in the previous edition of Dev’s Digest. On the awards front, Dr. Zaf Iqbal and Pakistan international Mariam Mahmood have been shortlisted for Sports Personality of the Year at the Asian Achievers Awards. Dr.
Iqbal, who departed Arsenal after helping the club end a 22‑year Premier League title drought and reach a Champions League final for the first time in two decades, is widely respected for his medical work across top English clubs, including Liverpool, Tottenham and Crystal Palace, and for his leadership roles within the Premier League Doctors Group and the FA Medical Society. Dr. Iqbal also played a key role in a landmark moment during the 2020/21 season when Sky Sports News reported that a Premier League match between Leicester City and Crystal Palace was briefly paused to allow Muslim players to break their Ramadan fast – the first such accommodation in English top‑flight football.
By 2023, the league had adopted a standard practice of allowing brief pauses during evening fixtures for players observing the fast. Mariam Mahmood has enjoyed a breakthrough year, debuting for Pakistan last summer, scoring three goals in her first four caps, and then joining Wrexham. She helped Wrexham secure a league and cup double and qualify for European competition for the first time in the club’s history.
Finally, nominations for the 2026 Asian Football Awards close next week. Fans and industry professionals can submit entries across categories covering the professional game, non‑league, grassroots and coaching on the awards website. For additional stories, features and video content, visit the dedicated South Asians in Football hub on skysports.com and get in touch to share your perspective.
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