India begin quest for back-to-back AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup qualifications with Iraq clash

India will aim for a positive start to their continental campaign as they begin their bid to qualify for back-to-back AFC U17 Womens Asian Cups for the first time, as per the AIFF website.

After making history in the previous edition of the AFC U17 Womens Asian Cup China 2026 by reaching the knockout stage for the first time, the Young Tigresses will now look to build on that landmark campaign. Indias run in China concluded with a 0-3 defeat against the hosts in the quarter-finals, yet the historic run marked the countrys best-ever finish in the competition.

With 11 players from that batch returning to the 23-player squad, the Young Tigresses have been preparing for the Qualifiers since July in Bengaluru. The team then travelled to Tashkent, where they played two closed-door friendlies against Uzbekistan, both ending in goalless draws.

On their return to India, their preparations continued in Goa, where they hosted the Philippines in two more friendlies, suffering a 2-4 defeat before bouncing back with a 2-0 victory.

With several weeks of preparation behind them, head coach Joakim Alexandersson believes the camp and friendlies have helped build the team gradually and establish clear principles both in and out of possession heading into the Qualifiers.

We started with trials during the first three weeks, and then we have built the team step by step. Now everyone knows what we want to do in attack and how we want to be organised defensively. During the last few weeks, we have focused more on technical quality and speed of play, he said.

Alongside their work on the pitch, the extended period of preparation has built a strong sense of togetherness within the group.

Throughout the process, we have also tried to make the players understand the importance of communication, hard work and supporting each other, he said.

Indias first opponents in the qualifiers, Iraq, are not a familiar side for Alexandersson, with limited footage available to study. However, he expects a disciplined opponent who could look to hit India on the counter.

I dont know very much about this Iraqi team because there aren't any matches to analyse. However, previous Iraqi teams have tried to play quite compact and defensively, looking to create opportunities through counter-attacks, he said.

Having experienced last years historic campaign, the Young Tigresses are now aiming to earn another opportunity to compete at the continental level.

It would mean a lot to us to qualify again because that would give the players the opportunity to compete against the best teams in Asia, and they could take that experience with them throughout their future careers. It would also give future U17 teams a better chance of qualifying in the years to come, Alexandersson added. (ANI)