New Delhi, May 20 (IANS) The All India Football Federation (AIFF) have appointed Naushad Moosa as the head coach of the India U-23 men’s national team.

Moosa will take charge of the team on June 1, 2025, when they begin their camp in Kolkata, with the long-term aim of preparing the Blue Colts for the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi and Nagoya, in Japan, in line with the plans laid out to the federation by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

Moosa, who had coached the India U23s in two friendly matches against Malaysia last year, said after his appointment, “Representing my country, whether as a player or a coach, is one of the greatest honors in my career. Opportunity to lead the U-23 team for a second year is both exciting and a proud moment.

“Last year, we built a strong foundation, and the players showed real commitment. This year, we return with more experience, more hunger, and a few new faces who I believe will add great strength to the squad. I’m confident we can continue to grow and make the country proud.”

Later this year, the India U23s will also partake in the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers, the draw for which will be held on May 29, 2025, at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

“The June games are very important in our journey toward the Asian Games and the AFC U23 Asian Cup. This is an opportunity to assess player responses under pressure, improve our tactics, and build stronger bonds within the team. Our goal is to be fully prepared for these major tournaments by testing ourselves against strong opposition,” added Moosa.

While performing well in the Land of the Rising Sun remains the long-term goal, on a more immediate basis, Moosa’s team will face Tajikistan on June 18 and Kyrgyz Republic on June 21 in two exposure matches in Dushanbe.

As per the preparation plans for the Asian Games next year, the federation plans to utilise the FIFA International Windows in September, October, November, and March to arrange short training camps of around 10-14 days for the India U23s, which would also include matches against other U23 teams from around Asia, with longer camps being planned ahead of the June 2026 FIFA International Window, when there are no club matches.

After camping in Kolkata for a fortnight, the India U23s, on June 16, will travel to Dushanbe, Tajikistan, for the two exposure matches, and return on June 22.

AIFF Deputy Secretary General Mr. Satyanarayan M said, “In discussions with Manolo Márquez, we concluded that the federation needs to develop the U23 team with more emphasis. The best of these players are all training 10 months a year, and we are thankful to the clubs for the readiness with which they are available for national team duty.

“However, some of them are not getting much game-time, which is where we are looking to bridge the gap by playing exposure matches against other competitive international teams of the same age group, during the international windows,” he said. “We want to thank NorthEast United FC for cooperating in releasing Naushad Moosa for the international windows.

–IANS

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