The India U-17 Women’s Team have been drawn with Malaysia, Syria and Iraq in Group E of the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers, following the draw conducted at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Thursday, July 16, 2026.
Following the Young Tigresses’ historic first-ever knockout stage appearance in the previous edition, India will aim to qualify for back-to-back AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cups for the first time. Malaysia will host Group E of the Qualifiers from October 5 to 11, 2026. India will begin their campaign against Iraq, followed by a match against Syria, and then Malaysia.
The group winners will qualify for the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2027, which will be held in Suzhou from March 31 to April 17, 2027.
For the draw, 30 teams were seeded into four pots and an additional hosts’ pot based on a points system derived from their final rankings across the previous three editions of the tournament. India were seeded in Pot 1, with the final cast divided into eight groups — six of four teams each, and two of three. The teams will compete in the Qualifiers in a single round-robin centralised league format from October 5 to 11, 2026.
The eight group winners will advance to the 11th edition of the Finals, to be staged in China PR for the second consecutive year, where they will be joined by the top four finishers from the 2026 campaign who have directly qualified: defending champions DPR Korea, runners-up Japan, and semi-finalists Australia and China PR.
The semi-finalists of the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2027 will qualify for the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2027.
AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers Draw Result
Group A: Korea Republic, Jordan, Tajikistan (H), United Arab Emirates
Group B: Indonesia, Singapore (H), Saudi Arabia, Bahrain
Group C: Chinese Taipei, Islamic Republic of Iran, Laos (H), Cambodia
Group D: Vietnam (H), Kyrgyz Republic, Northern Mariana Islands, Palestine
Group E: India, Malaysia (H), Syria, Iraq
Group F: Thailand (H), Lebanon, Macau, Bhutan
Group G: Myanmar (H), Hong Kong, Guam
Group H: Philippines, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan (H)
India’s Schedule:
Matchday 1: India vs Iraq
Matchday 2: Syria vs India
Matchday 3: India vs Malaysia
Hosts: Malaysia
Dates: October 5-11, 2026
AIFF Media
India U17 women’s camp begins in Bengaluru ahead of AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers
The Indian U17 women’s team’s preparations for the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers commenced on Wednesday, July 16, 2026, with the first batch of 24 players reporting for camp-cum-trials at The Sports School in Bengaluru.
The camp marks the beginning of preparations for the Qualifiers, which will be held in Malaysia from October 5 to 11, 2026. India have been drawn in Group E alongside hosts Malaysia, Syria and Iraq. Players born on or after January 1, 2010, are eligible for the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2027.
Head coach Joakim Alexandersson has taken charge of the U17 women’s team for the new qualification cycle. Pamela Conti, who coached the team in the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup 2026, departed at the end of her contract in May.
Alexandersson guided the previous batch to qualification for the 2026 tournament and also led the U20 side in the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026.
Less than three months ago, the U17 team created history by reaching the Asian Cup quarter-finals for the first time. The current camp represents the first step in building on that historic achievement, with the objective of qualifying for back-to-back AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cups for the first time.
While 24 players have initially reported to the camp, the selection process remains ongoing. Additional players are expected to join following further scouting across the country.
Earlier this month, Alexandersson attended the Khelo India Performance Assessment Camp in New Delhi, where he assessed a number of young players. The Swede also visited the FIFA-AIFF Telangana Talent Academy in Hyderabad as part of the player identification process.
The scouting process will continue during the inaugural AIFF U17 Women’s Youth League 2026-27, which kicks off in Narainpur, Chhattisgarh, on July 18. Later this month, Alexandersson will travel to the competition to monitor performances and identify additional players for the national team camp.
Further evaluations will take place over the coming weeks before the Young Tigresses’ preliminary squad for the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers is finalised and announced.
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