India's women's football: friendly matches before the big Asian Cup!

India's women's football: friendly matches before the big Asian Cup!

The excitement in Indian women's football couldn't be greater! An exciting tri-nation series will take place in Shillong from October 21 to 27, 2025, where the Indian women's national football team will take on Iran and Nepal. These matches are part of the FIFA Women’s International Match Window and will be played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The Blue Tigresses' first encounter on October 21 will be against the Iranian team, who are just three places behind India at 70th in the FIFA rankings. Iran will face Nepal on October 24, while India will conclude the tournament on October 27 against Nepal. The team is currently in 63rd place in the FIFA rankings - that shows that something is moving here! Olympics.com reports that the games will be available on live streaming in India.

Yesterday, the atmosphere in Chiang Mai was already splendid as the Indian team played a memorable game against Thailand on July 5, 2025. With a narrow 2-1 win, coach Crispin Chhetri's team secured first place in the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 in Australia. This was more than just a victory – it was a historic moment. After the final whistle, emotions ran high because India had previously taken part in the tournament in 2003 and 2022, but had not qualified through sporting means. The performance against Thailand was overwhelming, especially since the team was ranked 24 places behind the Thais in the FIFA rankings. Firstpost highlights, that Sangita Basfore scored both goals and India were able to assert themselves as group winners with 12 points from 4 games.

The road to the AFC Women’s Asian Cup

Qualifying for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 is not only a personal achievement for the players, but also a big step for Indian women’s football as a whole. There have been some impressive wins in previous years, including a 13-0 against Mongolia as well as 4-0 against Timor-Leste and 5-0 against Iraq. With this performance, the Blue Tigresses have earned a place among the best teams in Asia. Now it's time to carry the momentum into the upcoming matches and prepare for the big competition. The AFC Women's Asian Cup is a prestigious event in women's football that takes place every two years and serves as the Asian qualifier for the Women's World Cup. The next event will take place in Australia in 2026, followed by further exciting tournaments in 2029.

The Indian players will be required to give their best in both the friendlies and the upcoming major Asian tournament in Australia. The support of the fans is certain - and not just in India. The whole country is glued to the team's achievements and hopes for glory days. So the upcoming game against Iran on October 21, 2025 will not only be a test, but also a great opportunity to further take Indian women's football to the next level!