The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has appointed Anthony Andrews as assistant coach of the India U17 women's national team on 26 August, with Joakim Alexandersson continuing in the head coach role. Andrews takes up the position on a dual basis, simultaneously retaining his role as head coach of East Bengal FC.

A Record-Breaking IWL Coach

Andrews is the most decorated coach in Indian Women's League (IWL) history, having clinched four titles — the only coach to have won multiple IWL trophies. He guided Gokulam Kerala FC to back-to-back championships in 2021-22 and 2022-23, before steering East Bengal FC to consecutive titles in 2024-25 and 2025-26, making East Bengal the current IWL champions.

Continental Milestones Under His Watch

Andrews has also engineered landmark achievements on the continental stage. Last Sunday, he guided East Bengal to victory in the Preliminary Stage of the AFC Women's Champions League 2026-27 in Malaysia, making the club the first Indian women's side to qualify for the group stage in consecutive seasons. Under his stewardship, East Bengal had also become the first Indian women's club to win a match in the AFC Women's Champions League group stage the previous season. He additionally led the club — known as the Moshal Girls — to the SAFF Women's Club Championship title in December 2025.

What Andrews Said

Expressing his enthusiasm, Andrews said, 'It is a great honour and privilege to be part of the India U17 Women's National Team setup. I'm grateful to the AIFF for the trust and confidence they have shown in me, and I'm excited about the opportunity to contribute to the development of the next generation of Indian footballers.'

He added, 'Over the years, I have been fortunate to work with and develop many players who have gone on to represent India at youth and senior levels. Those experiences have given me valuable insights into player development, talent identification, and creating environments where young players can maximise their potential. I hope to bring that experience, along with the winning culture, professionalism, and high-performance standards that have contributed to recent success at East Bengal FC, to help support the players and staff as we prepare for the future of Indian women's football.'

Tashkent Friendlies and Road to AFC Qualifiers

Andrews has already joined the squad in Tashkent, where the Young Tigresses are scheduled to face Uzbekistan in two international friendly matches on 27 August and 30 August. The fixtures form part of India's build-up to the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers, to be held in Malaysia from 5 to 11 October. India are placed in Group E alongside Malaysia, Syria, and Iraq.

The dual appointment reflects the AIFF's intent to leverage club-level expertise at the national youth level — a model that could shape how India develops its next generation of women footballers ahead of a competitive qualifying campaign.