For the Blue Tigresses, the AFC Women's Asian Cup isn't only about competing against the continent's elite, but also a pathway to the FIFA Women's World Cup, according to the official website of the AIFF.
The Indian women's football team recorded their biggest win in an official AFC match on Monday, June 13, defeating Mongolia 13-0 in the AFC Women's Asian Cup Qualifiers -- marking the fourth-biggest victory in the team's history.
This was India's biggest ever win in an AFC Women's Asian Cup (final round and qualifiers). Previously, the Blue Tigresses' 10-0 victories against Guam in 1997 and 2005 held the record.
India's road to the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 and the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027 will officially begin on Monday, June 23, 2025, when the Blue Tigresses take on Mongolia in the opening match of Group B of the Qualifiers at the 700th Anniversary of Chiang Mai Stadium, according to the offic
India last made it to the AFC Women's Asian Cup in 2003. And when they hosted the tournament in 2022, a COVID outbreak in the team meant that India had to withdraw after only the first game and the results were declared void, as per the AIFF official website..
The final squad of 23 players for the Qualifiers will be confirmed before the first match. The Blue Tigresses are placed in Group B of the Qualifiers, where they will face Mongolia (June 23), Timor Leste (June 29), Iraq (July 2) and hosts Thailand (July 5)
While Manisha and Malavika made their India debuts as part of the starting XI, Priyadharshini got her first cap when she replaced Dangmei Grace in the 74th minute.
India and Uzbekistan are no strangers when it comes to women's football. The two sides are preparing to face each other for the 14th time, as they play a FIFA International Friendly on Friday, May 30.
Coached by Crispin Chettri, the Blue Tigresses, since May 1, have been camping at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence, where they will play the two friendlies against Uzbekistan on May 30 and June 3.
The Blue Tigresses had a special visitor at their camp in Bengaluru - senior men's national team captain Sunil Chhetri, as per the AIFF official website.
India's newly-appointed Swedish coach, Joakim Alexandersson, began his journey on a more than satisfactory note as the Blue Tigresses ended the year with a brilliant demolition of the Maldives, winning 14-0 at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence on Monday
Swedish coach Joakim Alexandersson, under whom the India U20s have been training in Bengaluru since December 10, will take charge of the Blue Tigresses. 17 players, including senior internationals, have joined the camp for the friendly matches after which Alexandersson announced the 23-membe