India confident ahead of AFC Women’s qualifiers

Chiang Mai

India’s women’s football team is ready to begin its AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers on June 23 in Thailand. Head coach Crispin Chettri said the team is “shaping up well” after intense training and friendly matches.

India, ranked 70th, will face Mongolia, Timor Leste, Iraq, and Thailand in Group B. Only the group winner qualifies for the final tournament in Australia, which also serves as a pathway to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 in Brazil.

India hasn’t played Mongolia, Timor Leste, or Iraq before, making preparation a challenge. “We know a bit about Thailand but not much about the others,” said Chettri. India played two friendlies against Uzbekistan last month, losing both 0-1, but Chettri said they were valuable for testing players and building team chemistry.

The team trained for over 45 days in Bengaluru before arriving in Chiang Mai early to adjust to the weather. Since arriving, they’ve had four full training sessions and an intra-squad match. Chettri said focus is now on tactics, set pieces, and team patterns.

The 23-member squad includes a mix of youth and experience, with an average age of 23.6 years. Eighteen-year-old goalkeeper Monalisha Moirangthem recently made her debut. “I’m not afraid to play youngsters. They need experience, and this is the perfect stage,” said Chettri.

India’s schedule begins with Mongolia on June 23, followed by Timor Leste (June 29), Iraq (July 2), and hosts Thailand (July 5). Chettri remains hopeful that the team’s hard work and preparation will show on the pitch.