Indian football fans are eagerly waiting for the Women’s Team to make their maiden appearance in the forthcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027. All the members of the Indian Women’s football team set their eyes on the World Cup, and their first major hurdle will be the 2026 AFC Women’s Asia Cup.
So far in 20 seasons of the AFC Women’s Asia Cup, the Indian women’s team has managed to reach the finals twice. In 1980 and 1983, the Indian team was a finalist but unfortunately finished the season as a runner-up. The Republic of China and Thailand defeated them respectively in 1980 & 1983.
Ngangbam Sweety Devi is the current leader of the Indian Women’s national side and is just 25 years old from East Bengal. She is a formidable defender of the Indian team, and vice-captain Sangita Basfore plays a vital role in the national side.
What Will It Take for India to Qualify for the Women’s FIFA World Cup 2027?
Indian team clinched a stunning victory over Thailand in the final game and made history in Indian football by qualifying for the Asia Cup. So, currently, India has earned a place and will become one of the 12 teams that will compete in the AFC Women’s Asia Cup 2026.
Twelve teams will be divided into three groups, and each group will consist of four teams that will face each other. Only six teams will have a chance to advance to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, whereas there are four spots that will get direct qualification, which are the champions, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place teams, who will advance to the most anticipated World Cup.
Qualifier Play-in matches of the Forthcoming AFC Women’s Asia Cup 2026:
If the Indian team did not manage to reach the Semi-finals, but they managed to be part of the Quarter-finals stage. Then they still have a chance to qualify for the World Cup, because the losers of the Quarter-finals will face each other in the play-in matches.
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So, the two winners of the play-in matches will advance to the 2027 FIFA World Cup alongside the top four standing teams of the current season. The play-in matches for the losers of the Quarter-final stage will take place on 19th March, 2026, at Gold Coast Stadium.
The final hope to qualify is the upcoming 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup Inter-confederation play-offs:
After the Asia Cup, the Indian team will have the final chance to qualify for the World Cup, through the 2027 Inter-confederation play-offs in December 2026. In the Inter-confederation play-offs, a total of teams will take part, which will be from the six confederations.
AFC Confederation will have two slots; therefore, the two losers of the play-in stage will earn a place in the 2027 Inter-Confederation Play-offs. The teams will be further divided into groups and will face teams from other confederations.