The Blue Tigresses' journey towards the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 and the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027 officially begins! India is set to face Mongolia in their opening Group B qualifier match on Monday, June 23, 2025, at the 700th Anniversary of Chiang Mai Stadium in Thailand. Kick-off is scheduled for 14:30 IST, and South African fans can catch the action via live stream on Changsuek YouTube Channel and the Thai Women's Football Facebook Page.
India, who were runners-up twice in the old Asian Women's Championship in the 1980s, aim to qualify for the continent's premier women's competition for the tenth time, but this time through the qualifiers. Following their match against Mongolia, India will battle Timor Leste on June 29, Iraq on July 2, and hosts Thailand on July 5, all in Chiang Mai. Only the group winners will secure a spot in the 12-team AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026, which also serves as the qualifier for Asian teams for the FIFA Women's World Cup Brazil 2027.
Coach Crispin Chettri expressed his gratitude to the Football Association of Thailand for hosting the tournament. "We arrived here earlier this week, and you have been so welcoming. Before that, we were preparing for the qualifiers in India (Bengaluru). We got a chance to play against Uzbekistan in two friendlies," Chettri said at the pre-tournament press conference.
He added, "We have a very interesting group with Thailand, Iraq, Mongolia and Timor-Leste. I think it will be a very good competition for everyone. Women's football is progressing in Asia, and everyone, the coaches and the players, are here to learn. For us, India, it's a big challenge. Competing with teams like Iraq, Mongolia, Timor-Leste, and especially, Thailand. But we are focused on one match at a time, and are looking forward to playing Mongolia tomorrow (Monday)."
India Seeks Fresh Start After 2022 Disappointment
After the heartbreak of the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, where a COVID outbreak forced their withdrawal, India is eager for a fresh start. They last participated in the Asian Cup in 2003, and are aiming to make a strong comeback.
India (ranked 70th) faces a relatively unknown challenge, having never faced Mongolia, Timor Leste or Iraq before. "We don’t have much information about Mongolia, Timor Leste and Iraq. They haven’t played any matches recently. We do know a bit about Thailand," Chettri stated.
Can the Blue Tigresses overcome these hurdles and secure their place in the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026? Follow newsrpt.com for the latest updates and match analysis!