India have been on Tuesday (July 29, 2025) drawn with powerhouse Japan, former champions Chinese Taipei and Vietnam in Group C of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, the continent’s showpiece event, to be held in Australia next year.
The draw ceremony for the 12-team event to be run from March 1 to 21, 2026 was held on the Sydney Town Hall with Indian midfielder Sangita Basfore being one of the three draw assistants. The 12 groups have been divided into three teams of 4 groups every.
The Blue Tigresses will start their marketing campaign with a match towards Vietnam on March 4, 2026, on the Perth Rectangular Stadium. India will then face Japan on March 7 on the identical venue, earlier than squaring off towards Chinese Taipei on March 10 on the Western Sydney Stadium.
The prime two groups from every group and the 2 finest third-placed sides will advance to the quarter-finals. The 4 semi-finalists will e book their tickets to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, whereas the dropping sides from the quarter-finals will advance to the playoffs, the place two extra spots on the international showpiece will likely be at stake.
Women’s World Cup winners in 2011, Japan are the highest-ranked Asian staff in the FIFA chart at seventh. They gained the Women’s Asian Cup titles in 2014 and 2018 however have been denied a hat-trick after dropping to eventual champions China in the semi-finals in the 2022 version held in India inside a COVID-19 bubble.
Vietnam, ranked thirty seventh, will likely be concentrating on a spot on the 2027 Women’s World Cup after making their debut on the 2023 version. They topped the play-off spherical amongst dropping quarterfinalists in the 2022 Women’s Asian Cup in India to make it to the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Chinese Taipei, at present ranked forty second, have gained the final of their three AFC Women’s Asian Cup titles in 1980 and they can even purpose to qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
India are at present ranked seventieth in the world, the bottom 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 launch.
“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 mentioned, “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 goal has all the time been to succeed in Brazil and play in the World Cup, to really feel the World Cup expertise. Now, we’re only 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.
