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Indian Women's Football Team Heads to FIFA Series 2026 in Kenya

The Indian senior women's national football team will compete in the FIFA Series 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya during the April international window. They are set to play hosts Kenya in a semifinal on April 11, with Australia and Malawi contesting the other match. The tournament, designed to foster global football development, features national teams from different confederations who do not normally play each other. All matches will be held at the Nyayo National Stadium, with drawn games proceeding directly to penalty shootouts.

Key Points: India Women's Team in FIFA Series 2026: Schedule, Opponents

  • India faces Kenya in semifinal
  • Tournament features teams from different confederations
  • Matches at Nyayo National Stadium
  • No extra time, straight to penalties if drawn
2 min read

Indian women's team to participate in FIFA Series 2026 in Kenya

India's senior women's football team to face Kenya, Australia, and Malawi in the FIFA Series 2026 in Nairobi. Get the full schedule and tournament details.

"The purpose of the FIFA Series is to facilitate meaningful friendly matches between national teams from different confederations - FIFA"

New Delhi, March 24

The Indian senior women's team will participate in the FIFA Series 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya, during the April FIFA International Women's Match Window.

The Blue Tigresses will face hosts Kenya in the semifinal on April 11 at 20:30 IST, while Australia and Malawi will play the other semifinal earlier that day at 16:30 IST. The semifinal winners and losers will clash in the final and the third-place play-off, respectively, on April 15. Any match that ends in a draw will go straight to a penalty shootout, with no extra time. All matches will take place at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi.

Among the four participants, India are the second-highest ranked side in the FIFA world rankings at 67th. Australia are ranked 15th, while Kenya and Malawi, the two African sides, are 133rd and 153rd, respectively.

Launched in 2024, the FIFA Series is an international friendly tournament that features national teams from separate confederations. The purpose of the FIFA Series is to facilitate meaningful friendly matches between national teams from different confederations that would not normally compete against one another. As per FIFA, the ultimate objective of the FIFA Series is to allow more international football interaction, making a concrete contribution to global football development.

Earlier this month, India bowed out of the AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026 after suffering a 1-3 defeat against Chinese Taipei in their last Group C match at the Western Sydney Stadium in Sydney, Australia. Chinese Taipei led 2-1 at half-time.

In 2022, the Indian team's World Cup dream came to a grinding halt in their own backyard when it had to pull out of the AFC Women's Asian Cup India 2022 because of a Covid-19 outbreak in the side. However, the side came up with a magnificent performance in the qualifiers last year, for the first time qualifying for the Asian Cup on merit.

FIFA Series 2026 Kenya Match Schedule:

Semifinal 1 - 16:30 IST, April 11: Australia vs Malawi

Semifinal 2 - 20:30 IST, April 11: Kenya vs India

Third-place match - 16:30 IST, April 15

Final - 20:30 IST, April 15

Venue: Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi, Kenya.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Good opportunity, but the timing is tough for fans in India. 8:30 PM semi-final is okay, but the final is also at 8:30 PM on a weekday. Hope Doordarshan or a sports channel picks up the broadcast. We need to support them!
A
Anjali F
We are ranked 67th and Kenya is 133rd. On paper, we should win the semi-final. But rankings don't always tell the full story, especially when playing away in Africa. The team must stay focused and not get complacent. Jai Hind!
D
David E
Interesting format with no extra time and straight to penalties for a draw. Puts a lot of pressure on the players' nerve. This FIFA Series seems like a good initiative to grow the women's game globally.
S
Siddharth J
After the heartbreak of having to withdraw from the Asian Cup at home due to Covid, the team has shown great resilience. Qualifying on merit and now playing in the FIFA Series is a step in the right direction. Let's get behind them!
K
Kavya N
I respectfully disagree with the constant focus on rankings. Yes, we are higher ranked than Kenya and Malawi, but our recent performance against Chinese Taipei shows we still have work to do. Let's use this tournament for experience, not just expecting to win because of rank.
M

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