How is Women's Football Advancing in Asia, and What Can India Learn?

Chiang Mai (Thailand), June 22 (NationPress) The journey for India toward the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 and the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027 is set to commence on Monday, as the Blue Tigresses face off against Mongolia in the inaugural match of Group B Qualifiers at the 700th Anniversary of Chiang Mai Stadium.

India, who were runners-up twice in the former Asian Women's Championship during the 1980s, are striving to secure a spot in the continent's premier women's competition for the 10th time, this being the first time via the qualifiers. Following the match against Mongolia, India will compete against Timor Leste on June 29, Iraq on July 2, and host Thailand on July 5 in Chiang Mai. Only the group winners will proceed to the 12-team AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026, which will also serve as the qualifier for Asian teams aiming for the FIFA Women's World Cup Brazil 2027.

During the pre-tournament press conference, Indian coach Crispin Chettri expressed gratitude to the Football Association of Thailand for their warm hospitality. He stated, "We arrived this week and have felt very welcomed. Prior to this, our preparations took place in India, specifically in Bengaluru, where we engaged in friendly matches against Uzbekistan."

"We find ourselves in a fascinating group with Thailand, Iraq, Mongolia, and Timor-Leste. I anticipate a strong competition for all involved. Women's football is evolving in Asia, and coaches and players alike are eager to learn from one another," Chettri added.

Chettri noted the significance of playing in Thailand, remarking, "It’s an honor to compete at home for Thailand. This encourages all of us. For India, facing teams like Iraq, Mongolia, Timor-Leste, and particularly Thailand, presents a considerable challenge. However, we are focused on taking one match at a time, eagerly anticipating our game against Mongolia tomorrow (Monday)."

India, currently ranked 70th globally, has never encountered Mongolia before. The East Asian team had their first official match in 2018, which was also the last time they claimed a competitive win—a narrow 1-0 victory over Guam in the East Asian Women's Championship. Presently ranked 126th, Mongolia has not participated in any tournaments since November 2023, where they faced defeats in all three matches against Korea DPR (0-19), Hong Kong (0-6), and Northern Mariana Islands (3-4).

Leading the team back into competitive action after a gap of a year and a half, Mongolia's coach Bayasgalangiin Garidmagnai, who also coaches their senior men's national team, mentioned, "The national team has trained exceptionally well, despite some internal challenges that limited us to about three weeks of preparation. We are a bit anxious about the heat, given that we come from a colder climate."

In contrast, Chettri dismissed concerns regarding weather conditions for India. Although the climate in Chiang Mai is more humid than in Bengaluru, the Blue Tigresses have acclimatized well to the northern Thai environment.

"Regarding the weather, I believe India and Thailand share similarities. We have adapted well here and arrived with a positive outlook. Although our squad is in a transitional phase, featuring many young players, our objective remains to reach Australia," concluded the Indian coach.

The match will be broadcast live on the Changsuek YouTube Channel and the Thai Women's Football Facebook Page.