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Football: India qualify for AFC U20 Women's Asian Cup for first time in two decades

by Devesh Jaganath

image Football: India qualify for AFC U20 Women's Asian Cup for first time in two decades
Amid ongoing uncertainty over the future of club football in the country, the India under-20 women’s football team has brought some much-needed positivity to football lovers across the nation by securing their qualification to the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup for the first time since 2006.

Pooja scores crucial goal against Myanmar to secure victory 

It is no secret that football in India is facing a very tough period at present, with the nation’s top-tier competition, the Indian Super League, placed on hold for the 2025-26 season until further notice owing to an impasse between the All India Football Federation and the Football Sports Development Limited. 

The issue revolves around the AIFF’s failure to agree on a Master Rights Agreement with the FSDL. The current MRA is set to expire in December 2025, and the league’s suspension has led to some teams seizing operations until a resolution is reached. 

However, amid the uncertainty in the men’s section, the India Women's U20 side has given football fans a reason to be optimistic, having earned their spot at the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 in Thailand after beating Myanmar 1-0 in their final qualification match. 

Pooja netted the all-important goal for the Indian side in the 27th minute, securing top spot in the four-team group, which also included Indonesia and Turkmenistan, whom India drew goalless and beat 7-0 in the competition, respectively. 

While Pooja received most of the plaudits for the result, plenty of praise also deserved to go to the team’s backline, where Monalisha and her defence held firm in the face of intense pressure from Myanmar’s attackers, who pushed hard for an equaliser. 

India last qualified for the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup in 2006, and have now done so just one month after the Women’s senior team ended a 23-year wait to qualify for the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup. 

India U-20 Women earn big financial incentive

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After securing their AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 berth, the AIFF made India’s qualification for the upcoming tournament all the more thrilling and worthwhile by announcing a substantial cash reward for the team. 

It is understood that the federation has allocated a whopping $25,000 (₹22 lakh) to the U20 women’s team. The funds are expected to be used to improve the team’s preparation for the upcoming tournament as well as fund part of their trip. The AIFF said: 

“The AIFF remains fully committed to ensuring the best possible preparation for the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026, scheduled to be held in Thailand in April 2026. The Federation will work closely with all stakeholders to facilitate extended training camps and secure high-quality international exposure for the team.”

The AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 is scheduled to take place between April 1 - 18 in Thailand next year. North Korea, Vietnam, China, Japan, Uzbekistan, South Korea and Australia also earned direct entry to the tournament. 

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