The All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced India’s 26-member squad for the upcoming AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026. The tournament will take place in Australia. India qualified for it by beating Thailand 2-1 in the Qualifiers in July last year. India are with Vietnam, Chinese Taipei, and Japan in Group C.
India will take on Vietnam and Japan in Perth on 4 and 7 March, respectively. Then, they will meet Chinese Taipei on 10 March in Sydney. The top two teams from each group will make it to the quarterfinals. The two best third-placed sides will join them. The four teams that make it to the semifinals will qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 in Brazil. The losing quarterfinalists will get another chance to do so in the playoffs.
Two more spots are available from this tournament for entry into the World Cup. The Indian team is coached by Amelia Valverde. They will pose a challenge, especially since eight of the players named in the squad have already played in the 2022 Asian Cup. Sweety Devi Ngangbam, Shilky Devi Hemam, Sanju, Anju Tamang, Pyari Xaxa, Grace Dangmei, Manisha Kalyan and Sowmiya Narayanasamy have already represented India in this tournament in the past.
Under Valverde, India underwent a rigorous training camp in Turkiye for four weeks. Then they came to Australia on 11 February, and took on club sides for match practice. Attackers Grace Dangmei and Soumya Guguloth are going to be big threats for India inside the box. The former is the highest-capped and highest-scoring player in this squad, with 23 goals in 91 appearances.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Panthoi Chanu Elangbam, Shreya Hooda, Sowmiya Narayanasamy.
Defenders: Astam Oraon, Juli Kishan, Martina Thokchom, Nirmala Devi Phanjoubam, Sanju, Sarita Yumnam, Shilky Devi Hemam, Sushmita Lepcha, Sweety Devi Ngangbam.
Midfielders: Anju Tamang, Aveka Singh, Babina Devi Lisham, Jasoda Munda, SanfidaNongrum, Sangita Basfore.
Forwards: Grace Dangmei, Kaviya Pakkirisamy, Lynda Kom Serto, Malavika P, Manisha Kalyan, Pyari Xaxa, Rimpa Haldar, Soumya Guguloth.
