Football: Indian women’s team moves up to 63rd in FIFA Rankings after Asian Cup qualification
India book spot at AFC Women's Asia Cup 2026
Just a few weeks before the English Premier League and other major European top-flight campaigns return to action, the Indian Women's football team booked their place at the 2026 AFC Women's Asia Cup.
The Blue Tigeresses secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Thailand last month to end their qualification campaign with a perfect record of four wins in four matches, topping Group B with 12 points, three clear of the second-placed Chaba Kaew.
During qualifying, India recorded a record-breaking 13-0 victory over Mongolia in their opening match and ended the competition with 24 goals led by Pyari Xaxa, who scored six goals for the team, followed by Sangita Basfore with four goals.
Following their victory over higher-ranked Thailand, the Blue Tigeresses climbed a whopping seven places in the FIFA Women's World rankings, placing them 63rd across the globe, which is their highest ranking since August 21, 2023.
The Indian women's team was forced to withdraw from the last edition of the Asia Cup, which they hosted, due to a COVID-19 outbreak in their squad. They are now set to return to the competition for the first time in a little over two decades.
India faced tough task at 2026 AFC Women's Asia Cup
The AFC Women's Asia Cup is set to be staged in Australia from March 1 to 21, featuring 12 nations split into three groups consisting of four teams apiece, and India know who their opponents will be, having been drawn into Group C.
Joining the Blue Tigeresses are Japan (ranked seventh), Vietnam (ranked 37th) and Chinese Taipei (ranked 42nd), meaning India are the lowest-ranked team in this section. Their best performance in this tournament came in the early 1980s when they finished second.
India schedule for 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup:
- March 4 - Vietnam vs India - Perth Rectangular Stadium
- March 7 - India vs Japan - Perth Rectangular Stadium
- March 10 - India vs Chinese Taipei - Western Sydney Stadium
