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India Faces Japan, Australia in Tough AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup Group

India's U17 women's national team has qualified for the AFC Asian Cup for the first time in over two decades. They face a formidable Group B with heavyweights Japan and Australia, along with debutants Lebanon. The tournament will be hosted in Suzhou, China, in May 2026. The top performers will earn a spot in the 2026 FIFA U17 Women's World Cup in Morocco.

Key Points: India Drawn with Japan, Australia in U17 Women's Asian Cup

  • India qualifies for first time in 21 years
  • Drawn with Japan, Australia, Lebanon
  • Tournament in China from May 2026
  • Top teams qualify for FIFA U17 World Cup
2 min read

AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup: India drawn with Japan, Australia, Lebanon in Group B

India's U17 women's team faces Japan, Australia, and Lebanon in a challenging Group B for the 2026 AFC Asian Cup in China.

"India will confront a challenging group in the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup 2026"

New Delhi, Feb 12

India will confront a challenging group in the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup 2026, where they have been drawn into Group B with Japan, Australia, and Lebanon during the draw held at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.

The Young Tigresses qualified for the continental competition for the first time in 21 years, defeating Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan in the qualifiers. This achievement marks a significant advance for India's youth women's program, which has made consistent progress over recent seasons. India will start their Group B campaign against Australia, followed by matches against Asia's strong teams, Japan, and debutants Lebanon.

Japan enter as one of the top contenders. The four-time champions, runners-up in 2024, have a strong international record, having won the FIFA U17 Women's World Cup in 2014 and finished second in 2010 and 2016. Their consistent performance at both continental and global levels highlights the significant challenge India faces.

Australia earned their spot with decisive victories over Singapore and the Northern Mariana Islands following a group-stage exit in 2024. They will be eager to go further this time. Lebanon, on the other hand, made history by qualifying for the first time, after defeating Kuwait and Iran to secure their place.

Hosts China headline Group A, competing against Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar. Meanwhile, Group C includes a strong East Asian lineup with North Korea, South Korea, the Philippines, and Chinese Taipei.

The tournament is scheduled to be held in Suzhou, China, from May 1 to May 17, 2026. The two highest-ranked teams from each group, plus the two best third-placed teams, will advance to the quarter-finals. The semi-finalists will then secure their spots in the FIFA U17 Women's World Cup 2026 in Morocco.

AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup 2026 Draw Results:

Group A: China, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar

Group B: Japan, Australia, India, Lebanon

Group C: North Korea, South Korea, Philippines, Chinese Taipei

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Japan and Australia... wow. The match against Lebanon is absolutely crucial. If we can get a win there and maybe snatch a draw against one of the big teams, we have a real chance to advance as a third-placed team. Focus on that first game vs Australia!
A
Aman W
This is fantastic progress for the women's youth program. Beating Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan is no small feat. While the group is challenging, it's a great opportunity to play against the best. Hope the AIFF provides them with the best possible preparation and exposure tours.
S
Sarah B
As a football fan living in India, I'm so excited to see the girls on this stage. Japan are world beaters at this level. The key will be organization and not getting overawed. Even a goal against them would be a massive confidence booster. All the best, team!
K
Karthik V
Respectfully, while qualifying is great, we need to be realistic. Our grassroots infrastructure for women's football is still weak compared to Japan or Australia. This tournament should be a learning ground. The real goal should be consistent qualification and building a pipeline, not just one-off appearances.
M
Meera T
So proud! After 21 years, our girls are back. The group is tough, but remember, Lebanon are debutants too. We have to target that match. And you never know in football! Jai Hind! Let's get behind them. Hope Doordarshan or some sports channel broadcasts the matches.

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