The Indian women’s football team has created history by qualifying for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 for the first time ever through the qualification route — a milestone achievement that has sent waves of celebration across the country and offered a fresh ray of hope for the future of the women’s game in India.
The emotional aftermath of the feat, secured four days ago, is still resonating across the sporting landscape. The Blue Tigresses, as they are fondly called, are riding the high of their hard-earned success — but are already setting sights on the next summit: a maiden qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027.
With the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup serving as the pathway to the World Cup, head coach Crispin Chettri has wasted no time in reminding the players of the journey ahead. Moments after the final whistle, amidst emotional embraces and tears of joy, Chettri called the team into a huddle and delivered a powerful message:
“The top of the mountain is the bottom of another mountain. We must continue to learn and grow as a team. We’ve made it to the Asian Cup. Our next target is the World Cup. We have to keep dreaming.”
Defender Ngangbam Sweety Devi, who captained the team on the historic night, was overwhelmed with emotion and took time to process what had unfolded.
“Honestly, it’s still hard to express. There were so many mixed emotions. It didn’t even feel real,” said Sweety, who has already earned 66 caps at the age of 25. “We kept reassuring each other, ‘Yes, it has happened, we’ve actually done it.’ That feeling… it’s indescribable. Anyone who supports women’s football or is part of it would understand.”
This qualification is especially significant considering the heartbreak of 2022, when India were forced to withdraw from the AFC Women’s Asian Cup — which they hosted — due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the camp. At that point, the team had played only one match, a 0-0 draw with Iran, before their campaign was cut short.
The Blue Tigresses’ path to qualification wasn’t easy. They achieved the feat by beating Thailand, coached by Futoshi Ikeda — the tactician who had guided Japan to the quarterfinals of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and famously defeated eventual champions Spain 4-0 during that tournament.
India’s campaign in the qualifiers saw Chettri rotate the captaincy. Sweety Devi led against Mongolia, Sangita donned the armband against Timor-Leste, and Sanju captained the side versus Iraq. But the spirit of leadership, according to Sweety, ran through the entire squad and support system.
“It’s always a proud moment to be a captain, but this is about the whole team. I only have the armband, and the team has given me that responsibility. But the contribution is equal. Every player, every staff member – everyone has played a role. This success belongs to the whole team and the whole nation,” she said.
India will find out their group-stage opponents when the official draw for the 2026 Asian Cup is conducted on July 29. Twelve teams will be divided into three groups of four. India are in Pot 4 and could face any of the top Asian powerhouses — Australia, Japan or DPR Korea — from Pot 1.
The tournament format will see the top two teams from each group and the two best third-placed sides advance to the quarter-finals. The four quarter-final winners will automatically qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The losing quarter-finalists will get another shot via play-offs, with two more spots available. Those who miss out in the play-offs will still have one last chance via the inter-confederation play-offs.
As the celebrations continue, the Indian women’s team has already shifted focus. History has been made — and now, history is ready to be rewritten.
