New Delhi, 22 March (H.S.):

Ahead of the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 in Thailand, Indian head coach Joakim Alexandersson has urged his players to approach the tournament with full commitment, discipline and confidence. Speaking on Sunday, 22 March 2026, he said the team must be prepared for every challenge and that a strong, organised defence combined with belief in their game will give them a real chance of performing well in every match.

India’s U20 women’s team, nicknamed the Young Tigresses, has arrived in Bangkok roughly 13 days before their opening game, giving them enough time to adapt to local conditions. The capital city’s climate and training environment after the team’s recent camp in Kolkata are not too different, the coach noted, helping ease the transition.

Under Group C, India will take on Japan on 2 April, Australia on 5 April and Chinese Taipei on 8 April. The top two sides from each group and the two best third‑placed teams across the three pools will advance to the quarter‑finals. The four quarter‑final winners will then qualify for the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup Poland 2026, raising the stakes for the young Indian squad.

Alexandersson highlighted the importance of earlier preparatory camps in India and abroad. Friendly matches against Uzbekistan in Mahabalipuram and Kazakhstan in Shymkent sharpened the team’s tactical understanding and physical resilience. The experience of a month‑long training camp in Sweden, with access to high‑end facilities and demanding fixtures against senior club sides, was especially valuable from a football‑development standpoint.

Despite being drawn in a tough group with Japan, one of the top sides in women’s football at this level, and a strong Australian outfit, the Indian camp insists it is not intimidated. “Japan are among the best in the world at this age group and Australia are also very strong,” Alexandersson said. “We must respect them, but we must not fear them. We want to play with courage and confidence.”

Above all, the coach said he expects complete dedication from his players. “First, I want total commitment from the team,” he added. “We need to be ready for every challenge, stay disciplined in defence and play with self‑belief in attack. If we can do that, we have every opportunity to put in a good performance in every match.”

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar