Haphazard Prep Clouds India's Asian Cup Hopes

India's AFC Women's Asian Cup campaign began on March 4th against Vietnam, with the team aiming to qualify for the FIFA Women's World Cup. Their qualification in July was overshadowed by uncertainty within Indian football's ecosystem, despite a $50,000 cash reward and promises from the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

The Indian Women's League, initially slated from September 2025 to January 2026, was delayed and began on December 20th, with the U-20 women's team not participating. Seven matches were condensed into 20 days, with simultaneous kick-offs, creating a challenging schedule.

The team's preparation camp, announced as an 83-day program with 10-12 international friendlies, fell short. Since qualifying, India played only three international matches against Iran and Nepal in October. They subsequently played eight club teams in Turkey and Australia, missing the FIFA international window in November.

Vietnam and Chinese Taipei have played more international games since July, highlighting India's lack of competitive match experience. A planned friendly series in North Macedonia in November was canceled due to visa issues, leading to a training camp instead. This lack of professional handling of visa processes and strategic scheduling has hampered the team's build-up.

Coach Amelia Valverde, with her strong credentials from coaching Costa Rica to two World Cups, has had only two months to influence the team. She is supported by former head coach Crispin Chettri and PV Priya, who were instrumental in the qualification campaign. However, the haphazard preparation suggests Valverde has been tasked with achieving a miracle with limited preparation time.