Saturday will mark another landmark moment for Indian women’s football as the U-17 national team begins its AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2026 campaign against Australia.
It will be India’s first appearance at the U-17 Women’s Asian Cup since 2005, ending a 21-year wait at this level. More significantly, it completes a rare sequence in 2026, with the U-17 side becoming India’s third women’s team to feature in an Asian Cup this year after the senior team and the U-20 side.
India’s journey to this stage has been built on a structured and continuous preparation period. Since January, the Young Tigresses have been in camp for more than three months, primarily in Bengaluru, focusing on physical, technical and tactical development.
They arrive in China after a series of competitive tours, winning the SAFF U-19 Women’s Championship in February, securing two victories against fellow Asian Cup qualifying side Myanmar in Yangon in March, and testing themselves in three friendly matches against Russia in Sochi in April.
When and where will the India vs Australia U-17 Asian Cup match start?
The AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup match between India and Australia will kick off at 05:00 PM IST on Saturday at the Suzhou Taihu Football Sports Centre (Pitch 8) in China.
How to watch India vs Australia AFC U-17 Asian Cup match LIVE?
The AFC Women’s U-17 Asian Cup match between India and Australia will be broadcast live on the AFC Asian Cup YouTube Channel.
Published on May 02, 2026