New Delhi, Oct 6 (IANS) Indian U17 women’s team head coach Joakim Alexandersson has named a 23-member squad for the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2026 Qualifiers, scheduled to take place from October 13 to 17 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Placed in a three-team Group G, India will face the hosts Kyrgyzstan on October 13 and Uzbekistan on October 17. Both matches will be held at the Dolen Omurzakov Stadium.

The 27 teams are divided into eight groups — three of four teams each, and five of three. They will compete in the Qualifiers through a single round-robin centralised league format.

The eight group winners will advance to the 10th edition of the Finals, where they will be joined by the four AFC representatives from the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup 2025 who have automatically qualified — DPR Korea, Japan, Korea Republic, and China — to form a 12-team line-up, four more than the previous edition.

After winning the SAFF U17 Women’s Championship in Bhutan in August, the Young Tigresses continued their training camp in Bengaluru before relocating to Goa. They will arrive in Bishkek on Tuesday, October 7, six days before the first match, to acclimatise to the relatively cooler weather in Kyrgyzstan.

India last took part in the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup in 2005. The Young Tigresses will aim to script history by qualifying for the continental stage for the first time through the qualifiers.

India’s 23-member squad for the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2026 Qualifiers:

Goalkeepers: Munni, Surajmuni Kumari, Thameena Fathima.

Defenders: Alena Devi Sarangthem, Alisha Lyngdoh, Binita Horo, Divyani Linda, Elizabed Lakra, Joyshini Chanu Huidrom, Ritu Badaik, Taniya Devi Tonambam.

Midfielders: Abhista Basnett, Anita Dungdung, Bonifilia Shullai, Julan Nongmaithem, Pritika Barman, Shveta Rani, Thandamoni Baskey.

Forwards: Anushka Kumari, Anwita Raghuraman, Nira Chanu Longjam, Pearl Fernandes, Valaina Fernandes.

Head coach: Joakim Alexandersson

Assistant coach: Nivetha Ramadoss

Goalkeeping coach: Dipankar Choudhury

Strength and conditioning coach: Anugrah Suresh

–IANS

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