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At Gate 4 at Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, flashes burst to life. It was late Sunday night, and reporters were stationed for the customary star departures that always happen at this time: another actor heading to a fashion show, another off to a brand endorsement event. But the journalists present were stunned. Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham walked out of the sliding glass doors together, not on their way to a film shoot, not to a studio endorsement but straight into a plane headed for the U.S.
From behind barricades, reporters shouted out their names. The duo barely stopped. John, wearing a tight black t-shirt that seemed to emphasize his physique along with a pair of baggy grey track pants, and Abhishek, in a loose blue hoodie and an athletic cap worn low over his face, glanced at each other. Someone stuck out a mic and shouted something at Abhishek about a new script, but he merely offered a brief wave of his hand toward his duffel bag, a prominent FIFA World Cup logo stitched onto its side, and with it said that they were headed to watch the World Cup. And when it came to think about it-with the 2026 World Cup under way in the United States, Mexico, and Canada-it made perfect sense, with the two actors catching up to witness their shared passion.
Miami’s Cinematic Nostalgia…
Miami may not have seemed like the most natural destination to chose, but if there is one city in the U.S that both actors will know like the back of their hand, it is the very city where they shot Dostana. Eighteen years ago they spent a good many weeks shooting their comedy hit Dostana on the beautiful, sunny beaches of Miami and this popular film cemented both actors and their camaraderie in every movie buff’s mind. Now, two decades later, they are heading right back to the very same coastal paradise for a whole new reason.
This time they aren’t on the sandy shores for a Bollywood film. There is no camera crew following them for a movie, they have packed their bags, left behind their busy schedules, and taken a trip to Miami for a love of football. They are arriving as fans to catch major matches as the Miami Stadium hosts important group stage games at the 2026 World Cup and their timing is perfect. On June 15, the Saudi Arabia and Uruguay Group H game will take place in the exact same stadium and it has become a high-stakes fixture between a team with aggressive historical tendencies and Saudi Arabia’s history of pulling off upset victories. Both John and Abhishek had procured VIP tickets for this match long before any official confirmation of their travel was made.
The Millionaire’s Match of India’s Favorite Sport…
However, this trip is far from just another vacation for the two actors. Both John Abraham and Abhishek Bachchan are completely devoted to the sport. They not only share a passion for the beautiful game, but they also have some considerable amount of money, time, and even ownership interests, staked in the sport back home in India.
John Abraham is the proud owner of Indian Super League (ISL) team NorthEast United FC. He has owned the club since the inception of the league more than ten years ago. He spends more time discussing the latest tactical trends and the state of youth development than his action blockbusters. Known to often watch potential young players himself, Abraham is present at almost all of NorthEast United’s home games in Guwahati unless he is filming a project.
Abhishek Bachchan shares the same fervor for football. He co-owns ISL franchise Chennaiyin FC, a team that has lifted the ISL championship trophy multiple times during his reign. The two actors were often seen opposing each other in rival VIP boxes cheering for their respective teams and having very public, spirited exchanges, until the match concluded and then would meet up again for a drink over their shared common interest.
The Scale of 2026 World Cup…
The 2026 World Cup is entirely different to anything seen before with the United States, Canada and Mexico hosting this one. This will be the first World Cup that will include 48 teams rather than the standard 32 that have been present at the global event for many decades.
The new 48 team format means that there are more games and more travel for fans to undertake. From the damp Canadian pitch to the high-altitude Mexican Stadia to the sprawling arenas of New York the event is spread all across the nation of the United States and Miami is now a hub city for matches in the early stages of the competition. The atmosphere is electrifying; hundreds of thousands of South American fans have taken over the beaches of Miami, carrying flags and drumming enthusiastically. The very same beaches where the actors shot several romantic scenes in Dostana now are a sea of red and yellow jerseys, filled with the sound of excited chatter about upcoming games.
What Takes Place Behind the VIP Box Curtain…
No one, apart from a few close acquaintances, knows the full extent of their itinerary. They have many matches to catch as the tournament is scheduled to run for another two weeks and rumors are flying from the airport that they will be catching Brazil and France in Philadelphia or New York later in the week.
However, they certainly have the financial clout and the high-level contacts and influence to travel wherever they desire and are well-known in football authorities throughout the globe. John was very recently an outspoken proponent for certain administrative reforms within the Indian football federation to amplify a number of talented local players protesting against mismanagement within domestic leagues. Abhishek is actively involved in numerous charity football matches to raise money. Attending a FIFA World Cup game at a VIP table will offer them the perfect chance to mingle with officials, influential people from a number of different sports management companies and club owners from various international teams.
The American Sojourn Reality…
We may be seeing pictures of the two soon after they catch a few live matches, just an informal picture or two taken at a stadium while cheering on Uruguay. However, there are more chances that media back in India will try to speculate that the trip means something like Dostana 3 is in works. It is truly as simple as this: two guys in their late 40s and early 50s who bonded during a film shoot almost twenty years back are going to watch live football together. They have taken a long, arduous 16-hour journey from India just to witness the passion of the sport in live action before the later stage games have to move further from the east coast of America. The tournament waits for no man and definitely not for any famous celebrity wanting to relax on vacation.
