It's time for new stars to emerge in Indian football. The 23-member Indian team has been announced for the SAFF U-17 Women's Championship. This tournament will be held from August 20 to 31 in Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan.
Sports News: A great opportunity is coming for new talents in Indian women's football. The Indian team has been announced for the SAFF U-17 Women's Championship 2025. A total of 23 players have been included in the Indian squad for this tournament. The competition will be held from August 20 to 31 in Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan.
Head coach Joakim Alexandersson will lead the team. He has already guided the Indian U-20 women's team to the AFC Women's Asian Cup Qualifiers and will now focus on providing international experience to the young players through this tournament.
New Tournament Format
This time, four teams will participate in the SAFF U-17 Women's Championship – India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. The competition will be played in a double round-robin format. This means that each team will face each other twice. In this way, each team will play a total of six matches. The team with the most points at the end of the league stage will be the champion. This format will give players more opportunities and help them get used to the long tournament experience.
Indian Team Schedule
The Indian U-17 Women's Football Team will begin its campaign on August 20 with its first match against Nepal. After that, the team's schedule will be as follows:
- August 22 – India vs Bangladesh
- August 24 – India vs Bhutan
- August 27 – India vs Bhutan (Reverse Fixture)
- August 29 – India vs Nepal (Reverse Fixture)
- August 31 – India vs Bangladesh (Reverse Fixture)
Indian Team Squad
- Goalkeepers: Munni, Surajmuni Kumari, Tamphasana Devi Konjengbam.
- Defenders: Alina Devi Sarangthem, Alisha Lyngdoh, Binita Horo, Divyani Linda, Elizabeth Lakra, Priya, Ritu Baraik, Tania Devi Tonambam.
- Midfielders: Abistha Basnet, Anita Dungdung, Beena Kumari, Bonifilia Shullai, Julan Nongmaithem, Pritika Barman, Shweta Rani, Thandamoni Baskey.
- Forwards: Anushka Kumari, Neera Chanu Longjam, Pearl Fernandes, Vailena Jaeda Fernandes.
- Head Coach: Joakim Alexandersson
- Assistant Coach: Nivetha Ramadas
- Goalkeeper Coach: Dipankar Chowdhury
Strength and Conditioning Coach: Saifulla
This championship is not just a platform for regional success for Indian players, but it will also give them confidence at the international level. This competition will prove to be a major preparation before the AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup Qualifiers to be held in the Kyrgyz Republic in October 2025.
