THE INDIA U20 WOMEN’S FOOTBALL TEAM has secured qualification for the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup for the first time in two decades — their previous qualification came in 2006. The historic achievement was sealed with a 1–0 victory over Myanmar on their home turf, ensuring a top-of-the-table finish.
Following the result, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced a reward of $25,000 for the team. Remarkably, the Young Tigresses remained unbeaten in the qualifiers, scoring eight goals without conceding in their three Group D matches.
“Looking ahead, the AIFF remains fully committed to ensuring the best possible preparation for the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026, scheduled to be held in Thailand in April 2026. The Federation will work closely with all stakeholders to facilitate extended training camps and secure high-quality international exposure for the team. The aim for the Federation is not only to make the players physically and mentally fit through training, but also to make them ready to rub shoulders against the best in Asia. Opportunities for the AIFF to arrange quality opponents to play preparatory matches are also being looked at,” the AIFF media release stated.
The media release added:
* The AIFF, in collaboration with the Sports Authority of India (SAI), has undertaken several initiatives to strengthen the grassroots and youth structures in women’s football. One such initiative is the ASMITA Women’s Football Leagues, which witnessed the successful conduct of 155 leagues across the country from 2023 to 2025 at the U13, U15, and U17 levels. The 2023–24 edition saw participation from 6,305 junior players, a number that rose to 8,658 in 2024–25.
* The ASMITA Football Leagues continue in the 2025-26 season as well, with the U13 ASMITA Football Leagues 2025-26, which began last month. The U13 leagues will see 50 tournaments be played across as many venues, where around 8,000 players from approximately 400 teams will compete across 26 states.
* As a result of such efforts, the number of registered women footballers in India has seen a 232% increase over the past year.
