India name six uncapped players in 26-member squad for AFC Women's Asian Cup in Australia, targeting quarterfinals and World Cup qualification.
The centralised semi-finals and the final are scheduled for May 20 to 23, next year.
East Bengal progressed to the group stage of the AFC Women's Champions League after a 1-1 draw against Hong Kong's Kitchee SC in their final Qualifiers Group E match, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Sunday.
Phnom Penh Crown will next face Hong Kong's Kitchee SC on Thursday, while East Bengal take on the same opponents on Sunday.
Former Italy international Pamela Conti was on Sunday named head coach of the Indian women's U-17 team to take charge of the country's AFC Asian Cup campaign later this year, second such appointment of a national side this month made by the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
Amelia Valverde named coach of Indian senior women's football team
India's U-17 women's team secured a resounding 4-0 victory over Bangladesh in the final, avenging an earlier defeat.
Ashalata -- who has earned over 100 international caps and captained the national side on multiple occasions -- said the (senior) team has made steady progress but is still short of world-class standards.
The India Under-17 women's national team suffered a 0-2 defeat against Bangladesh in the SAFF Under-19 Women's Football Championship 2026.
The early strike set the tone for the remainder of the half as the Indian side dictated the tempo. Bam Khatoon's Sara Didar and Fatemeh Geraeli made some long-range efforts with no luck.
India come from behind to seal maiden AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup qualification
The Indian Under-17 women's team crushed Bhutan 8-0 in its last round-robin fixture of the SAFF Under-19 Women's Championship to set up a summit showdown with Bangladesh at the Pokhara Rangasala Stadium
Indian football remained in a state of terminal decline after experiencing arguably its darkest phase in a year marked by severe administrative crisis, court hearings, financial issues, absence of domestic leagues, and a steep decline in performance of the senior men's team.
The group winners will qualify for the 12-team final tournament in China next year.
The top two sides from each of the three groups, along with the two best third-placed teams, will progress to the quarter-finals.
Lots to look forward to in Indian sports as packed 2026 calender awaits
India qualified for the AFC U20 Women's Asian Cup football for the first time in two decades after edging past Myanmar 1-0 in their final Group D qualifying match in Yangon, Myanmar
India beat Iraq 5-0, a step away from Women's Asian Cup qualification
Manisha Kalyan is the only Indian footballer to have played in the UEFA Champions League for women.
Each team will play six matches, and the one with the most points will be crowned champion.
They weren't up for a windfall even after the trophy but life was certain to get a lot better as some sponsors and state governments stepped up to lift them financially.
'In the women's landscape, there are fewer years to correct.'
'Everyone knows what is at stake, and the approach and mindset that we need in these matches.'
Nearly two decades later, Aditi Chauhan retires as a trailblazer, having become the first Indian woman to play professional football in Europe.
India crowned champions despite loss to Bangladesh in SAFF U-17 Women C'ships
Qatar's Akram Afif has been named the Asian Football Confederation's Player of the Year for a second time with Kiko Seike from Japan securing the women's title at the regional body's annual awards ceremony in Seoul on Tuesday.
Grappling with unprecedented uncertainty over the fate of the upcoming Indian Super League (ISL) season, the AIFF on Saturday moved in to "calm" fears among its referees, assuring them that their contracts will be renewed "as per established procedure."
He said the club will request the AFC to compensate for the money spent on players' travel and accommodation, which will run into lakhs of rupees.
The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear on August 22 a matter involving a row between the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) over the fate of 11 Indian Super League (ISL) clubs due to the non-renewal of their contracts with the national federation and the tournament's organisers.
Gokulam Kerala FC players, who were to participate in the AFC Women's club championships, are stranded at Tashkent following AIFF's suspension by FIFA on Monday.
Following a directive from the Supreme Court, the AIFF has been asked not to negotiate new terms of the MRA with FSDL, the apex governing body's commercial partner running the ISL, until a final judgment is delivered in the AIFF draft constitution case.
The 20-year-old was the fourth Indian woman footballer to sign for an overseas club when she landed a multi-year contract with Cypriot top division winners Apollon Ladies.
India have been drawn in Group C along with China, Vietnam and Uzbekistan.
The Women's Asian Cup was thrown into turmoil when hosts India were kicked out of the tournament after a COVID-19 outbreak meant they were unable to field a team for their Group A match against Taiwan on Sunday.
Captain Ashalata Devi will become the first Indian woman footballer to play 100 international matches when she takes the field in the SAFF Championship opening match against Pakistan in Kathmandu on Thursday.
'The ban and the timing of lifting it is unfair to Gokulam Kerala because we had been preparing for the tournament for about two months.'
The All India Football Federation decided to form an eight-member task force to look into the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) negotiations with its commercial partner Football Sports Development Ltd
Preparing for the AFC Asian Cup, two of India's top women's team footballers are taking inspiration from their counterparts in hockey, who claimed a historic fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics.
New AIFF boss focuses on grassroots and youth development than hosting big events.
Australia is weighing up a bid to host the 2023 Asian Cup following China's decision to step away as original hosts
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