New Delhi: India were on Tuesday drawn with powerhouse Japan, former champions Chinese Taipei and Vietnam in Group C of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, the continent’s showpiece tournament, to be held in Australia next year.
The draw ceremony for the 12-team tournament to be run from March 1 to 21, 2026 was held at the Sydney Town Hall with Indian midfielder Sangita Basfore being one of the three draw assistants. The 12 teams were divided into three groups of four teams each.
The Blue Tigresses will begin their campaign with a match against Vietnam on March 4, 2026, at the Perth Rectangular Stadium. India will then face Japan on March 7 at the same venue, before squaring off against Chinese Taipei on March 10 at the Western Sydney Stadium.
The top two teams from each group and the two best third-placed sides will advance to the quarter-finals. The four semi-finalists will book their tickets to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, while the losing sides from the quarter-finals will advance to the playoffs, where two more spots at the global showpiece will be at stake.
Women’s World Cup winners in 2011, Japan are the highest-ranked Asian team in the FIFA chart at seventh. They won the Women’s Asian Cup titles in 2014 and 2018 but were denied a hat-trick after losing to eventual champions China in the semi-finals in the 2022 edition held in India inside a COVID-19 bubble.
Vietnam, ranked 37th, will be targeting a spot at the 2027 Women’s World Cup after making their debut at the 2023 edition. They topped the play-off round among losing quarterfinalists in the 2022 Women’s Asian Cup in India to make it to the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Chinese Taipei, currently ranked 42nd, have won the last of their three AFC Women’s Asian Cup titles in 1980 and they will also aim to qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
India are currently ranked 70th in the world, the lowest in the group.
“I think we have a very interesting, and at the same time, a tricky group. Japan are the cream of Asia. Vietnam and Chinese Taipei are good sides, and we can compete with them and aim for favourable results,” India head coach Crispin Chettri in an AIFF release.
“Now that we know our opponents, we have to choose our friendly matches wisely and prepare well. Staying together as a unit and working hard in the camps will go a long way in helping us prepare to face the best teams in Asia and target World Cup qualification.”
Basfore said, “We’ve already played against Vietnam, Chinese Taipei, and Japan in the past, so I know from experience that we can definitely compete with them.
“Our target has always been to reach Brazil and play in the World Cup, to feel the World Cup experience. Now, we are just one step away,” she said.
In Group A, hosts Australia were drawn alongside Korea Republic, Iran and Philippines. Group B consists of DPR Korea, China, Bangladesh and Uzbekistan.
China are the defending champions and they will be seeking a record-extending 10th title.
The Indian women’s team was forced to withdraw from its group match against Chinese Taipei at the 2022 Women’s Asian Cup in Navi Mumbai after a number of players tested positive for COVID-19 even while staying inside the bio-secure bubble.
India were unable to name a minimum 13-woman squad for the match and it was considered a withdrawal, according to the competition rules. India had originally named a 23-member squad. That was after India played out a 0-0 draw in their first match against Iran.
