India Women’s Football: Tactical Growth and Rising International Ambitions Ahead of 2026 AFC Asian Cup

International • July 17, 2025

India Women’s Football: Tactical Growth and Rising International Ambitions Ahead of 2026 AFC Asian Cup

India women's national football team in 2022
The Indian women's national team is embracing tactical evolution as it prepares for the 2026 AFC Asian Cup. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

India’s women’s national football team stands at a critical crossroads — balancing its established dominance in South Asia with the urgent need to evolve tactically and physically for the rigors of continental competition. As the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup approaches in Australia, the Blue Tigresses are undergoing a transformation aimed at overcoming recent setbacks and elevating their competitiveness on the Asian stage.

Tactical Evolution and Emerging Challenges

For over a decade, India has reigned supreme in the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women’s Championship, clinching five titles since the tournament’s inception in 2010. However, the 2022 edition delivered a sobering reality check. India’s surprising semifinal exit, courtesy of a narrow defeat to Nepal, exposed tactical fragilities and stamina limitations against increasingly disciplined opposition.

Historically, India deployed a traditional 4-3-3 formation emphasizing attacking width and high pressing, capitalizing on individual skill and pace. Under interim coach Ajit Chhetri, hired just months before the 2022 SAFF campaign, the team experimented with a fluid 3-5-2 setup, intending to bolster midfield control and defensive stability. The shift aimed to create numerical superiority in the center of the park and enable more dynamic transitions.

However, the rapid tactical transition revealed some cohesion and endurance issues. India struggled to maintain intensity late in matches and to fully exploit the wingbacks’ attacking potential, especially against opponents like Nepal who successfully negated India’s pressing triggers and exploited transition moments.

This tactical recalibration signals a broader recognition within the All India Football Federation (AIFF) that to ascend in Asian football, India must embrace modern footballing principles — including positional rotations, pressing schemes tailored to opponent vulnerabilities, and a balance between physical conditioning and technical execution.

Youth Integration: The Pulse of Tactical Progress

A promising development accompanying the tactical shift is the integration of younger talent, blending experience with youthful vigor. Emerging stars like Martina Thokchom and Soumya Guguloth have injected pace, technical flair, and tactical adaptability into the squad.

Soumya Guguloth recently made history by signing with Croatian powerhouse Dinamo Zagreb, reflecting a growing trend of Indian women footballers seeking development in more competitive European environments. Her ability to operate as an incisive winger or attacking midfielder fits neatly into dynamic formations that emphasize rapid transitions and pressing in advanced zones.

Martina Thokchom, still a teenager, has demonstrated maturity beyond her years, excelling in midfield roles that demand high work rates and intelligent positioning. Their performances highlight India’s strategic commitment to youth development as a pathway to tactical sophistication.

The midfield structure now emphasizes pressing triggers—specific cues to initiate coordinated pressure—and rapid ball circulation to exploit space during transitions. This mirrors global tactical trends where teams blend proactive defensive actions with swift attacking movement to disrupt opponents’ rhythm.

Grassroots Foundations and Structural Support

India’s tactical ambitions rest heavily on strengthening grassroots infrastructure, particularly for girls from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Programs like the Teresarian Sports Academy in Maharashtra’s Thane district and Yuwa-India in Jharkhand are not only talent incubators but also social engines fostering psychological resilience and leadership skills.

Yuwa-India, co-founded by American social entrepreneur Franz Gastler, serves hundreds of girls by combining football training with education, emphasizing team cohesion, confidence, and discipline. Similarly, the Teresarian Sports Academy provides equipment, coaching, and scholarships, enabling players from underprivileged communities to compete regionally and nationally.

These grassroots initiatives are crucial for expanding the talent pool and instilling tactical awareness from an early stage, ensuring that the national team’s future recruits have a foundation of physical conditioning, spatial awareness, and mental fortitude required for complex tactical systems.

Pushing Boundaries: International Exposure and Experience

One of the significant historical challenges for India’s women’s team has been limited exposure to diverse international opponents. Unlike their male counterparts, who have benefited from tournaments like the Nehru Gold Cup and a range of friendlies against global teams, Indian women’s football has long lacked such opportunities.

This landscape is gradually changing. Hosting the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in 2024 (postponed from earlier years) is a landmark event, promising both experience for young players and increased visibility for women’s football nationally. Scheduled friendlies against teams like Hong Kong and Indonesia further diversify India’s tactical experience, offering encounters with different playing styles and systems outside South Asia.

Additionally, Bala Devi’s pathbreaking signing by Rangers FC in Scotland marks a watershed moment. As the first Indian woman to secure a professional contract in Europe, Bala Devi is not only raising the profile of Indian women’s football but also paving a path for others to follow. Exposure to European tactical rigor and physical demands can only enrich the national team when these players return for international duty.

Bala Devi, Indian striker, after signing with Rangers FC
Bala Devi's move to Rangers FC in Scotland is a milestone for Indian women’s football, inspiring new generations. (Photo: AIFF)

Tactical Outlook for the 2026 AFC Asian Cup

Looking towards the 2026 AFC Asian Cup, India’s coaching staff faces the challenge of refining tactical frameworks that blend discipline, endurance, and creativity. The anticipated focus areas include:

Pressing Schemes: Fine-tuning triggers to synchronize team pressing efforts, disrupting opposition buildup and recovering possession high up the pitch.
Positional Rotations: Encouraging fluidity in midfield and attack to create overloads and confuse defensive markers.
Transition Play: Enhancing rapid counterattacks and safe ball progression to exploit space before opponents can reorganize.
Physical Conditioning: Improving stamina and match fitness to sustain high-intensity play for 90 minutes, addressing vulnerabilities exposed in recent competitions.
Sports Science and Psychology: Integrating data-driven training regimes and psychological preparation to boost decision-making under pressure and resilience.

Such multidimensional tactical preparation is vital to compete effectively against Asian powerhouses like Japan, China, South Korea, and Australia.

Conclusion: Towards a Rising Tactical Force

India’s women’s football is at a pivotal juncture. The blend of historic regional success with an urgent tactical evolution underscores the team’s ambition to transcend South Asian dominance and establish itself as a competitive force in Asia.

Youth empowerment, grassroots development, and expanding international exposure form the scaffolding supporting this transformation. The 2026 AFC Asian Cup beckons as both a stern test and an opportunity to demonstrate India’s rising tactical maturity and footballing stature.

The path ahead demands patience, investment, and strategic vision, but the Blue Tigresses are poised to take meaningful strides in the global women’s football arena.

References

Cover Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons