120 days to the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026, and still no clarity for Indian Women’s Football team

With just 120 days left for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026, uncertainty continues to cloud India’s preparations for one of the most significant tournaments in the country’s football history.

The Blue Tigresses scripted history earlier this year, qualifying for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup for the first time through the qualification route after a decisive 2-1 victory over Thailand.

India’s previous appearances, in 2003 and 2022, came under very different circumstances: the former when no qualifiers were held, and the latter as hosts, where a COVID outbreak forced the team to withdraw mid-tournament.

This time, India earned its place on merit. And yet, a mere 120 days away from kickoff, the team’s road to the continental stage looks more uncertain than ever.

A promising plan, now in disarray

On July 11, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced a comprehensive roadmap for the women’s team’s preparation.

The plan included a September start for the 2025–26 Indian Women’s League (IWL), ensuring eight teams played 14 matches each by January, allowing players ample match time before the national camp.

The senior team was promised 83 days of preparation, split into three phases, featuring 10–12 international friendlies and several domestic fixtures.

The idea was sound: consistent competition, structured exposure, and adequate recovery leading into the Asian Cup scheduled from March 1–21, 2026, in Australia.

However, its is now the 1st of November and that plan lies in tatters. The AIFF informed IWL clubs that the league would now begin on December 20, nearly three months later than initially promised.

The new format will unfold in two phases, the first running until January 6 at a yet-to-be-decided venue, followed by a second phase post-Asian Cup in April.

The delay and restructured schedule have thrown India’s preparation calendar into disarray, undermining the very goals the original roadmap aimed to achieve.

Time lost, momentum fading

For a team still developing its competitive identity, every week of preparation counts.

The recent Tri-Nation Cup in Shillong, where India lost both matches to Iran and Nepal, exposed glaring gaps in rhythm, cohesion, and confidence.

This was not the same side that had fought with purpose and belief during the qualifiers.

If head coach Crispin Chettri is experimenting with combinations and formations, it is understandable. But such experiments are meant to be part of a larger, sustained process and not restricted to isolated friendlies followed by weeks of inactivity.

What is worrying, though, is the lack of continuity. A delayed league means fewer competitive minutes for key players, while the uncertainty over training camps and friendlies leaves the national team struggling for structure.

The AIFF’s commitment of 83 training days and over a dozen international matches now seems ambitious at best, if not unrealistic.

A stark contrast

The contrast in approach between men’s and women’s football is hard to ignore.

When the men’s Indian Super League season faced uncertainty due to the MRA issue, the AIFF swiftly introduced the Super Cup, ensuring players and clubs stayed match-ready.

No such urgency appears evident for the women’s setup — even though the Blue Tigresses are preparing for a continental championship, they actually qualified for through performance and not privilege.

The women’s team’s achievements have consistently come in the wake of systemic neglect and not because of structured support.

Therefore, qualification for the 2026 Asian Cup should have been the spark for a long-term investment in competition, exposure, and development.

Instead, it risks becoming another missed opportunity in a familiar cycle of administrative indecision and delay.

A race against time

Every lost week makes India’s Asian Cup campaign harder.

The players need more than just fitness camps and sporadic fixtures; they need competitive intensity, tactical refinement, and international exposure — the very ingredients the AIFF’s initial plan promised.

If India is serious about making an impact in Australia, or even dreaming of a historic run that could bring the country closer to its first-ever FIFA World Cup qualification, clarity and commitment must replace delay and confusion.

The next 120 days could define not just a tournament, but the trajectory of women’s football in India.

At the moment, even as the countdown continues, the roadmap is convoluted and conflicting, if not non-existent.