Blue Tigresses Settle in Perth, Ready for AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026

Carrying valuable experience from their Turkiye tour, the Blue Tigresses have maintained their training momentum Down Under and now cannot wait to get the ball rolling at the Perth Rectangular Stadium, according to the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

"We were the first team to arrive on the 11th, and we're very happy to already be here and properly settled, which is important," said India head coach Amelia Valverde.

"We're now counting down the days, about 12 to go, until our first match. We're very happy with how things feel with the players and the group. The team is in a good place, training well, and also waiting for the official activities to begin," she told the-aiff.com.

From single-digit temperatures in Turkish winter, Valverde and her side have had to adjust to the summer in Perth, but arriving early has made that process a lot smoother.

"It took a few days to adapt to the time difference and also a bit to the weather. The climate here is very different from Turkiye. It was raining heavily there. Here, the temperatures are significantly hotter, ranging from 30 to 35 degrees during the day. But that's not a problem. Our matches are at night, so temperatures will be more controlled.

"For adapting to the time difference, what you need is time. We've had that and will continue to have it, which is positive. We know we must take precautions with hydration, proper nutrition, and everything needed to be ready," said Valverde.

The preparations for the AFC Women's Asian Cup began back home in Gurugram following the conclusion of the first half of the IWL season in mid-January. After assembling near the capital, where they trained for three days, the Blue Tigresses jetted off to Antalya, where Valverde united with the team for the first time.

Having trained the team for a month, Valverde stated that it's been a fruitful experience so far.

"It has been a very productive month. I'm not focusing on the number of days, but rather the quality of time spent together. We've used the time well and been very precise in improving the variables we consider important under our model and ideas.

"The long camp has many advantages. It gives us time to review a lot of videos and do 'invisible training'. The team doesn't only train on the pitch. We train in the gym, in individual meetings, combined meetings, and group video sessions. We've tried to take advantage of everything. We still have two weeks to keep improving and reach the best possible version of this team," the Costa Rican added.

In Turkiye, India played six friendly games against European clubs, winning three (against Schlieren, Hertha BSC and Zvezda-2005 Perm), drawing one (against Spartak Moscow) and losing two (against Metalist 1925 and Csikszereda). Valverde extensively rotated in games, sometimes fielding a different line-up in each half, to give game time to as many players as possible and assess the squad's quality.

"Most of those friendlies were very good preparation games. Some were quite high-level opponents. They helped raise the competitive level of the group. Personally, they helped me see the players competing in real match situations, which was very important. They also helped us increase our competitive rhythm. We even played three matches in one week before coming here. That's what friendlies are for: gaining rhythm, observing, evaluating, and trying scenarios.

"In many matches, we gave opportunities to everyone, and practically all the players participated in the games in Turkiye because we also had to make decisions. Unfortunately, we had to leave out three players (Adrija Sarkhel, Karishma Shirvoikar and Priyadharshini Selladurai) who had done great work, but that's part of football. We wanted to see as many players as possible, either starting or coming on as substitutes, and playing in different situations," Valverde explained.

In Perth, the Blue Tigresses are following a rigorous training schedule, holding on-field and gym sessions every day, while evenings are reserved for team meetings and opposition analysis. India won their first friendly game on Australian soil against Perth RedStar FC 5-0 on Thursday, and will play another against Perth Azzurri on Monday.

The anticipation is rising with every passing day as the Blue Tigresses inch closer to the opening game of not just the continent's showpiece event, but more significantly, the path to the FIFA Women's World Cup.

"Personally, I take it as a great responsibility, as I have said from the beginning. I'm very excited, but I also don't want to take it only on an emotional level. I'm very much aware of the tournament we are about to play," said Valverde.

"I feel the group is super motivated. We still have time, and controlling emotions and managing everything we carry inside will be key. We have a group that works spectacularly and trains very well. The better we train, the closer we get to being able to compete very well. That's where our energy and focus are right now."

- ANI