The All India Football Federation, on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, appointed Naushad Moosa as the head coach of the India U-23 men’s national team.
Moosa will take charge of the team on June 1, 2025, when they begin their camp in Kolkata, with the long-term aim of preparing the Blue Colts for the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi and Nagoya, in Japan, in line with the plans laid out to the federation by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
While performing well in the Land of the Rising Sun remains the long-term goal, on a more immediate basis, Moosa’s team will face Tajikistan on June 18 and Kyrgyz Republic on June 21 in two exposure matches in Dushanbe.
AIFF Deputy Secretary General Mr. Satyanarayan M said, “In discussions with Manolo Márquez, we concluded that the federation needs to develop the U23 team with more emphasis. The best of these players are all training 10 months a year, and we are thankful to the clubs for the readiness with which they are available for national team duty.
“However, some of them are not getting much game-time, which is where we are looking to bridge the gap by playing exposure matches against other competitive international teams of the same age group, during the international windows,” he said. “We want to thank NorthEast United FC for cooperating in releasing Naushad Moosa for the international windows.
As per the preparation plans for the Asian Games next year, the federation plans to utilise the FIFA International Windows in September, October, November, and March to arrange short training camps of around 10-14 days for the India U23s, which would also include matches against other U23 teams from around Asia, with longer camps being planned ahead of the June 2026 FIFA International Window, when there are no club matches.
Moosa, who had coached the India U23s in two friendly matches against Malaysia last year, said after his appointment, “Representing my country, whether as a player or a coach, is one of the greatest honors in my career. Opportunity to lead the U-23 team for a second year is both exciting and a proud moment. Last year, we built a strong foundation, and the players showed real commitment. This year, we return with more experience, more hunger, and a few new faces who I believe will add great strength to the squad. I’m confident we can continue to grow and make the country proud.”
Later this year, the India U23s will also partake in the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers, the draw for which will be held on May 29, 2025, at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
“The June games are very important in our journey toward the Asian Games and the AFC U23 Asian Cup. This is an opportunity to assess player responses under pressure, improve our tactics, and build stronger bonds within the team. Our goal is to be fully prepared for these major tournaments by testing ourselves against strong opposition,” said Moosa.
After camping in Kolkata for a fortnight, the India U23s, on June 16, will travel to Dushanbe, Tajikistan, for the two exposure matches, and return on June 22.
AIFF Media
India U23 men’s national team head coach Naushad Moosa, on Thursday, May 22, 2025, named a 29-member probable squad for the exposure friendly matches in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, next month.
The India U23s will face the Tajikistan U23 and Kyrgyz Republic U23 teams in two matches on June 18, and June 21, respectively, as part of the federation’s long-term plans to smoothen a pathway to the senior national team.
The team will set camp in Kolkata on June 1, where they will train before setting off for Dushanbe, on June 16.
As part of the long terms plans for the India U23s, the AIFF has lined-up camps and exposure friendly matches for the Blue Colts during the FIFA International Windows in order to prepare for AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers, to be held later this year, and the Asian Games, to be held in Japan in 2026.
June friendly exposure matches for the U23 team:
June 18: Tajikistan vs India
June 21: Kyrgyz Republic vs India
India U-23 Men’s National Team Probables list
Goalkeepers: Sahil, Priyansh Dubey, Md Arbaz.
Defenders: Nikhil Barla, Dippendu Biswas, Bikash Yumnam, Pramveer, Clarence Fernandes, Sajad Hussain Parray, Muhammed Saheef, Subham Bhattacharya, Suman Dey.
Midfielders: Vibin Mohanan, Lalremtluanga Fanai, Vinith Venkatesh, Harsh Patre, Rahul Raju, Lalrinliana Hnamte, Macarton Louis Nickson, Manglenthang Kipgen, Chingangbam Shivaldo Singh, Mohammed Aimen, Huidrom Thoi Singh.
Forwards: Parthib Sundar Gogoi, Md Suhail, Korou Singh Thingujam, Mohammed Sanan K, Alan Shaji, Joseph Sunny.
Head Coach: Naushad Moosa
Assistant Coach: Remus Damiao Gomes
Goalkeeping Coach: Dipankar Choudhary
Strength and Conditioning Coach: Diwakar Manohar
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