The Indian senior women's football team is gearing up for the AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026 Qualifiers, and head coach Crispin Chettri has recently announced the 24-member travelling squad that will represent the nation in Thailand. While the final squad of 23 players for the Qualifiers will be confirmed before the first match, this announcement marks a significant step in India's journey towards the prestigious tournament.
India finds itself in Group B of the Qualifiers, where they will face Mongolia on June 23, followed by matches against Timor Leste on June 29, Iraq on July 2, and finally, hosts Thailand on July 5. These matches are crucial as the group winners will secure a spot in the final tournament, scheduled to be held in Australia in March 2026. Furthermore, the Women's Asian Cup also serves as a qualifying platform for the FIFA Women's World Cup Brazil 2027, adding another layer of importance to the competition.
Prior to the squad announcement, coach Crispin Chettri had initially named 39 probables for the team camp. The camp commenced on May 1, 2025, at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru, providing the coaching staff with ample time to assess the players and fine-tune their strategies. As part of their preparations, the Blue Tigresses engaged in two friendly matches against Uzbekistan on May 30 and June 3, where they unfortunately suffered narrow 0-1 defeats in both encounters. However, these matches served as valuable opportunities to experiment with different combinations and identify areas for improvement.
According to Chettri, the team underwent rigorous training for over 40 days in Bengaluru, where they had access to excellent facilities. He expressed satisfaction with the preparations, highlighting the blend of youth and experience within the squad. While injuries forced the exclusion of forwards like Karishma (Shirvoikar), Sandhiya (Ranganathan), and Renu, the coach believes that the current squad boasts more experienced players compared to the Pink Ladies Cup squad from February.
During the preparatory friendlies against Uzbekistan, Chettri utilized the opportunity to test various combinations, rotating as many as eight players for the second game and handing out a total of five debuts. This approach allowed him to assess the depth of the squad and identify players who could potentially make a difference in the Qualifiers.
The team is scheduled to arrive in Thailand on Monday evening, where they will undergo a week-long training camp in Chiang Mai before their first match. All matches will be held at the 700th Anniversary of Chiang Mai Stadium, and fans can catch the live action on the Thai Women's Football Facebook Page and Changsuek YouTube Channel. The coach hopes the team will perform well and qualify for the final tournament in Australia.
