India’s senior women's national team created history by qualifying for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup for the first time on merit since the qualifiers began in 2006. This is a huge achievement for the side that faced severe heartbreak in 2022 when they hosted the competition, as they had to exit prematurely due to the virus outbreak before their second game. The Blue Tigress are set to participate in the 2026 edition, hosted in Australia, starting in March. This will be India’s tenth appearance on the Asian stage and it could also lead to further progress and a place in the Women’s World Cup should they reach the semifinals. That will be the epitome of the growth the country has seen in women’s football and will mark the most historic moment in Indian football history. However, the greatest women’s international competition on the Asian stage offers challenges like no other as India will face two-time winners Japan, Vietnam and Chinese Taipei in Group C, making it a tough outing. The Blue Tigresses will begin their Women’s Asian Cup journey on 4th March 2026 against the Nadeshiko.
India's History in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup
India has a long history in the Women’s Asian Cup, back when the competition was not recognised by FIFA or even by AFC. The Blue Tigresses participated in the competition for the first time in 1980, as hosts and had to field two separate teams, India N & India S, due to fewer teams participating. India S were the most successful of the two sides, reaching the final but losing 2-0 to China. That squad included legendary figures such as Shanti Mullick, Kuntala Dastidar, Shukla Dutta, and Yolanda D'Souza, and was managed by Sushil Bhattacharya. The momentum carried for India as they made a podium finish in the 1981 edition and once again finished as runners-up in 1983, beaten by Thailand both times. The latter success came on foreign soil, making it all the more special. It remained the last great achievement for the side as performances declined post the golden period due to gross mismanagement from the federation. India did not return to the stage until 1997, but failed at the group stage. The same fate followed in the next three editions in 1999, 2001 and 2003, with the team failing to qualify for the Women’s Asian Cup for 19 years until they hosted it in 2022. However, it became a forgettable tournament for them as they were forced to withdraw after playing just one game due to a Covid-19 outbreak in the squad.
India's qualification to the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026
The first Women’s Asian Cup by qualifying for the tournament for the Blue Tigresses came after an impressive journey in the qualifiers, where they defied all expectations. The side was locked in a neck-and-neck battle with Thailand, with only the group winners qualifying for the finals. India swept past their opponents, Mongolia, Timor-Leste and Iraq by an aggregate score of 22-0, with 13 of those coming against the former, to set up the do-or-die battle with the Southeast Asian nation. The challenge was severe as Thailand was an opponent of a different calibre than the rest in the group, but India stood firm in their commitment and clinched a dramatic 2-1 victory courtesy of a memorable brace from Sangita Basfore that booked their ticket to Australia. The Blue Tigresses won all four games in the qualifiers, scored a ton of goals and merely conceded one in this memorable feat.
India's squad for the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026
Goalkeepers: Panthoi Chanu, Shreya Hooda, Sowmiya Narayanasamy.
Defenders: Astam Oraon, Juli Kishan, Martina Thokchom, Nirmala Devi, Sanju Yadav, Sarita Yumnam, Shilky Devi, Sushmita Lepcha, Sweety Devi
Midfielders: Anju Tamang, Aveka Singh, Babina Devi, Jasoda Munda, Sanfida Nongrum, Sangita Basfore.
Forwards: Dangmei Grace, Kaviya Pakkirisamy, Lynda Kom, Malavika P, Manisha Kalyan, Pyari Xaxa, Rimpa Haldar, Soumya Guguloth.
Only defenders Shilky Devi and Sweety Devi, midfielder Anju Tamang and forwards Dangmei Grace, Pyari Xaxa and Manisha Kalyan remain from the squad that took part in the previous AFC Women’s Asian Cup hosted in India, with the majority of the rest getting a first taste of a major competition. The squad is youthful, with an average of just 24, but cannot be called inexperienced, with most members of the team playing at their highest level in IWL and having also participated in the AFC club competitions. Star winger Manisha Kalyan and 22-year-old talented midfielder Aveka Singh are plying their trade in foreign leagues with Alianza Lima in Peru and Næstved HG in Denmark, respectively. Adding to that, the team has appointed the most sought-after coach in Central America, Amelia Valverde, who managed Costa Rica to two FIFA Women’s World Cups, to lead them in the tournament, bringing her experience and expertise in coaching to the highest level.
India’s opponent in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 (Group C)
Japan
Undoubtedly, Japan is the heavyweight opponent India will face in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 with some unpleasant memories from the last time they faced off. The Nadeshiko are two-time champions, with their last glory coming in 2018, while they acquired the third spot four years ago. They are one of the best sides in Asia, having also appeared in the competition 18 times and a Women’s World Cup regular, having won that competition in 2011. Also, Japan are the favourite to win the group and have scored seven goals past the Blue Tigresses in the AFC Women's Olympic Qualifiers second round played in 2023. It will be the toughest challenge for India and all they would want is to avoid demolition.
Vietnam
Also part of that Olympic qualifiers group was Vietnam, who would be the opponent for India in this tournament as well. They are a nation on the rise in both men’s and women’s football and will be direct rivals for the second and third spots in the group. This is also their 10th appearance in the Women’s Asian Cup, with their best finish coming in the previous edition by reaching the quarterfinal stage. The Golden Star also defeated the Blue Tigresses 3-1 in the last meeting and will be a difficult unit to break down. Moreover, India will play them in their tournament opener.
Chinese Taipei
The final side to play in their final game of the group stage is Chinese Taipei, a fixture that will bring some unpleasant memories for the Blue Tigresses. It was against this opponent that India had to forfeit and subsequently withdraw from the last edition, even failing to turn up at the stadium due to a massive virus outbreak in the squad, with as many as 12 players affected, which left the host unable to name even 13 players for the game. Chinese Taipei has been a familiar opponent too, having met them in the last Olympics, while this will be the fixture to decide the third-place, making it the most crucial ever.
India’s Fixtures for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026
4 March 2026
Vietnam vs India - Perth Rectangular Stadium, Perth (16:30)
7 March 2026
India vs Japan - Perth Rectangular Stadium, Perth (16:30)
10 March 2026
India vs Chinese Taipei - Western Sydney Stadium, Sydney (14:30)
India will begin their AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 campaign in Australia by facing Vietnam on 4th March 2026 in Perth. It is a crunching beginning for the Blue Tigresses, who will be desperate to secure a positive start to the campaign before facing the most feared side in the group, Japan, at the same venue three days later. Even if the top two hopes could be dashed in these two games, India will still have a chance to make it to the knockouts as one of the best third-placed teams if they win against Chinese Taipei in the final group game on 10th March 2026.
India’s Prediction for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026
There will be huge expectations on the Indian Women’s National Team as they chase a landmark moment to qualify for their first World Cup, men’s or women’s, after their incredible feat of making it to the Women’s Asian Cup by merit for the first time in their history. Their intentions have been cleared after appointing one of the most influential figures in Amelia Valverde to the managerial job despite Crispin Chettri’s extraordinary achievement in the qualifiers. Not downplaying his immense contribution, Crispin is now part of the coaching staff for Valverde, whose fairytale work with underdogs Costa Rica is a motivation that a talented Indian side will want to thrive in the competition. The Blue Tigresses must reach the quarterfinal of the competition by hook or crook, as it will put them in contention for the Women’s World Cup. Otherwise, an exit from the group stage will be unacceptable and detrimental to the massive effort produced to get to this stage. The side has the talent and the manager to pull it off to continue their exponential rise and finally give the moments Indian football and especially the women’s sport craved for to move out of the doldrums.
