India to face Malaysia, Syria, Iraq in AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers
New Delhi, July 16
The India U17 women's team have been drawn with Malaysia, Syria and Iraq in Group E of the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers, following the draw conducted at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on July 16.
Following the Young Tigresses' historic first-ever knockout stage appearance in the previous edition, India will aim to qualify for back-to-back AFC U17 Women's Asian Cups for the first time. Malaysia will host Group E of the Qualifiers from October 5 to 11, 2026. India will begin their campaign against Iraq, followed by a match against Syria, and then Malaysia, according to a release.
The group winners will qualify for the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup China 2027, which will be held in Suzhou from March 31 to April 17, 2027.
For the draw, 30 teams were seeded into four pots and an additional hosts' pot based on a points system derived from their final rankings across the previous three editions of the tournament. India were seeded in Pot 1, with the final cast divided into eight groups -- six of four teams each, and two of three. The teams will compete in the Qualifiers in a single round-robin centralised league format from October 5 to 11, 2026.
The eight group winners will advance to the 11th edition of the Finals, to be staged in China PR for the second consecutive year, where they will be joined by the top four finishers from the 2026 campaign who have directly qualified: defending champions DPR Korea, runners-up Japan, and semi-finalists Australia and China PR.
The semi-finalists of the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup China 2027 will qualify for the FIFA U17 Women's World Cup Morocco 2027.
AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers Draw ResultGroup A: Korea Republic, Jordan, Tajikistan (H), United Arab EmiratesGroup B: Indonesia, Singapore (H), Saudi Arabia, BahrainGroup C: Chinese Taipei, Islamic Republic of Iran, Laos (H), CambodiaGroup D: Vietnam (H), Kyrgyz Republic, Northern Mariana Islands, PalestineGroup E: India, Malaysia (H), Syria, IraqGroup F: Thailand (H), Lebanon, Macau, BhutanGroup G: Myanmar (H), Hong Kong, GuamGroup H: Philippines, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan (H)
India's schedule:Matchday 1: India vs IraqMatchday 2: Syria vs IndiaMatchday 3: India vs Malaysia
Hosts: MalaysiaDates: October 5-11, 2026.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally some good news for Indian football! The women's team has been consistently improving while the men's side struggles. Hope the federation gives them proper facilities and training camps. October 2026 seems far but preparation is key! 💪
Being in Pot 1 is a good sign, but honestly, our grassroots development still needs massive improvement. These tournaments are a start, but we need more domestic leagues and academies for women's football at the age-group level. One step at a time, I suppose.
This is exactly the kind of news we need to hear more often! Our young girls are setting benchmarks and inspiring a generation. The match against Malaysia at their home ground will be the real test, but I trust our team's spirit. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳
Hope the AIFF doesn't mess up the preparations like they usually do. The girls deserve proper training camps, friendlies, and support staff. Also, good to see we avoid the tough groups - Group E looks balanced. Exciting times for women's football in India!
As someone who follows football globally, this is such an important development for India. The path to the World Cup runs through this tournament - semi-finalists qualify for the U17 Women's World Cup. A huge opportunity for the girls to shine on the biggest stage!
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