India U17 women set for two friendlies against Uzbekistan in Tashkent
New Delhi, August 13
As part of their preparations for the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers, the India U17 women's team will play two friendly matches against Uzbekistan at the UFA National Football Centre in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on August 27 and 30, 2026. Both matches will be played behind closed doors.
The two outings will provide head coach Joakim Alexandersson an opportunity to assess the team ahead of the Qualifiers scheduled to take place from October 5 to 11. India have been drawn in Group E alongside hosts Malaysia, Syria and Iraq, according to a press release from AIFF Media.
Regarding the friendly matches in Uzbekistan, AIFF Deputy Secretary General M Satyanarayan said, "Last year, our U17 Women's team qualified for the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup on merit for the first time and created history by reaching the quarter-finals.
"We want to build on that momentum. It is important that the girls continue to get quality opposition in friendly matches, so they can keep developing, gain valuable experience and be better prepared for the qualifiers. Our aim is to qualify for the Asian Cup again and, hopefully, go one step further in next year's tournament."
India U17 women's friendlies in Tashkent:August 27: Uzbekistan vs IndiaAugust 30: Uzbekistan vs India
Venue: UFA National Football Centre, Tashkent.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally, our women's football is getting the attention it deserves! The U17 team's performance in the Asian Cup was inspiring. These friendlies are a step in the right direction. But I just wish the matches weren't behind closed doors — the girls deserve a cheering crowd!
Good move by AIFF to schedule these friendlies against a team like Uzbekistan. The opposition will be physically strong and technically sound, which is exactly what our girls need before the qualifiers. Hoping for a strong performance in Malaysia! 💪
It's nice to see the system at work, but I hope the coach is also giving opportunities to promising players from the youth leagues. We criticism the senior team for being stagnant, but let's start from the grassroots. Good luck, girls!
Wonderful news for Indian football! The U17 women's team is truly making us proud. I just wish the federation would give similar importance to the senior women's team as well. Start from the youth, build the foundation, and we can go far. Best wishes for the Uzbekistan friendlies! ✨
Playing Uzbekistan twice is a solid warm-up. The qualifiers in Malaysia won't be easy with Syria and Iraq in our group, but this prep should help. I just hope the players stay injury-free and the team management focuses on fitness and tactical drills. Keep the momentum going! ⚽
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.