Real Kashmir FC (RKFC)’s new signing, Kashif Siddiqi, will be missing the first two matches of the I-League due to an injury.

RKFC play their first match on December 4 against East Bengal at Kalyani and then host Gokulam Kerala FC at the TRC Ground in Srinagar on Decemeber 12. Kashif, a British citizen, has been loaned to the club by the UK-based Oxford United in late September.

“Siddiqi picked up an injury a couple of weeks back. I am not sure about the extent of the injury, but what I have gathered is he cannot play the first two matches,” RKFC co-owner Sandeep Chattoo told The Telegraph from Jammu on Thursday.

“He, however, would be arriving in Srinagar on Saturday. Kashif is also the co-founder of a United Nations initiative called Football for Peace Global (FFP). We are looking forward to his arrival,” Chattoo added.

FFP was established in 2006 by Fifa and Chilean legend Elias Figueroa at the United Nations New York Office under the directorship of Dr Djibril Diallo and former secretary general the late Kofi Annan. Siddiqi became the co-founder of FFP in 2013 and in the same year, the concept made the transition from “campaign” to implementing NGO status with its international incorporation.

Kashif is born to Ugandan mother and Indian father, who hails from Lucknow. He represented Pakistan as an overseas British South Asian footballer. He doesn’t have any Pakistani heritage, though.

The David Robertson-coached outfit, which finished third in the last edition of I-League, will be reaching Calcutta on Saturday. “That’s what our plan is… Arriving early to acclimatise to the conditions.

“We have the experience of playing in Kalyani since our Durand Cup matches were at the same venue,” Chattoo said.