Amidst struggles of Men's team, Indian Women's team qualify for AFC Asian Cup for first time in two decades

Overview

• Indian Women's Football team qualified for the AFC Women's Asian Cup for the first time since 2003
• It is their first instance of entering the AFC Women's Asian Cup through the Qualification process
• While the Women's team qualified, the Men's team has disappointed with a draw against Bangladesh and a loss to Hong Kong

The Indian Women's Football team scripted history as they qualified for the AFC Women's Asian Cup for the first time since 2003. It is their first instance of qualifying through the Qualification process, as there was no process of qualification the last time they took part in the tournament. Despite a lack of funds and support, the Indian Women's team has done better than their Male Counterparts.

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In 2022, India took part in the event being the hosts, only to face an early exit due to a lack of preparation during the COVID-19 pandemic. This time around, the Indian Women deserved to make it to the event, as they passed through the hard qualification process.

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Indian Women had to win their match against the hosts, Thailand, to qualify for the tournament. They did exactly that and showed great resilience to book a flight to Australia for the 2026 tournament. It could well be a statement, as despite a lack of support, the Women's team has been able to make it to the big tournament.

The struggles of the Indian Men's Football Team

On the other hand, despite getting better salary, infrastructure, and exposure to some of the top players in the world through ISL and other leagues, the Men's team has underperformed badly in the last few years. In the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, they have struggled badly.

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The Men's team drew against Bangladesh and lost to Hong Kong, two games which had to be won in their campaign. Their path for the remainder of the tournament seems difficult, and qualifying for the Asian Cup seems a difficult task. On the other hand, the Women's team proved they deserve better attention.