AIFF rewards India U20 Women’s team for historic AFC qualification

Overview

• The India U20 Women’s National Team has made history.

• They qualified for the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup for the first time in two decades.

• AIFF has announced a reward of USD 25,000 for the team.

The India U20 Women’s National Team has made history by qualifying for the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup for the first time in two decades. The last time India reached the tournament was back in 2006.

To recognise this achievement, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has announced a reward of USD 25,000 for the team.

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India’s U20 women had an unbeaten run in their Group D qualifying campaign. They began with a 0-0 draw against Indonesia, followed by a dominant 7-0 win over Turkmenistan. They then defeated hosts Myanmar 1-0 at the Thuwunna Stadium in Yangon. Impressively, they scored eight goals across three games and did not concede a single goal.

This success is the result of years of planning and structured preparation, especially at the grassroots level. The AIFF, in collaboration with the Sports Authority of India (SAI), has launched several initiatives to strengthen women’s football in the country.

India U20 women’s team began their preparations in December 2024

One of the most successful has been the ASMITA Women’s Football Leagues, which have run 155 leagues at the U13, U15, and U17 levels across India from 2023 to 2025.

This season, the number of registered women footballers has also grown sharply, up by 232% compared to last year.

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The U20 women’s team began their preparations in December 2024. They played matches against Hong Kong and Jordan, and several U20 players trained with the senior women’s team ahead of the qualifiers. In total, they trained together for 135 days before the tournament.

Now, all eyes will be on the team as they prepare for the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026, which will take place in Thailand in April 2026.