Suzhou (China), May 10 No Indian women’s team has ever stood one win away from qualifying for a FIFA World Cup on merit. On Monday, India's U-17 women’s national team will step into the biggest match of its history when they face hosts China in the quarterfinals of the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 at the Suzhou Sports Centre Stadium in Suzhou, China.
Victory for the Young Tigresses will seal their place in the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2026. Though India have played the U17 men's and women's World Cups as hosts in 2017 and 2022, respectively, the nation has never reached the world's biggest stage through qualification.
For the last two weeks, the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup had almost carried a homely rhythm for the Young Tigresses. Based at the Suzhou Taimei Xiangguli Hotel, the team trained and played all their matches at the nearby Suzhou Taihu Football Sports Centre, a compact venue housing eight pitches — three match pitches and five training grounds — all within walking distance of the team hotel.
Now, however, the tournament takes on a different scale. India’s quarter-final against China will be played nearly 25 kilometres away at the 35,000-capacity Suzhou Sports Centre Stadium, where more than 10,000 spectators attended China’s opening match against Myanmar on May 1. After days of training-ground surroundings and close-knit routines, the Young Tigresses are preparing for a full stadium atmosphere against the hosts.
Head coach Pamela Conti made it clear that the team’s focus remains firmly on the next step.
“We are approaching this match in the same way we approached the entire tournament, with excitement and with the desire to win,” said the Italian. “We know we are facing a very strong team, but we will do everything possible to give this happiness to the country.”
The Young Tigresses visited the Suzhou Sports Centre Stadium for the first time on Sunday afternoon for their official familiarisation session. “It is a great feeling because we are going to face the hosts, China,” said midfielder Bonifilia Shullai from the venue. "We know the crowd will be loud and there will be many fans supporting their home team.
“I am really proud of our team for coming this far, and I hope we can put on a good performance tomorrow, fight hard, and continue the level we have shown so far. We still have not achieved our goal because our main target is to qualify for the World Cup. So we want to keep working hard until the final whistle.
“Playing in such a big stadium at the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup is an amazing experience for all of us at such a young age, and it will help us a lot in our future careers as well," the 16-year-old from Shillong said.
India reached the quarter-finals after a commanding 4-0 victory against Lebanon in their final group-stage match, securing the country’s first-ever knockout stage appearance at the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup. The Young Tigresses also became the first Indian women’s side to reach the knockout stage of any Asian Cup competition since the 2004 AFC U19 Women’s Championship, which was also held in Jiangsu province, China, in the city of Wuxi, just 50 kilometres from Monday's match venue.
China arrived as one of the favourites in the competition, having topped Group A with three wins from three matches against Myanmar (6-0), Vietnam (3-0), and Thailand (6-0). During the knockout stage, no extra time will be played if the scores are level after 90 minutes, and the winner will be decided on penalties.
“China are one of the strongest and most important teams in Asia,” Conti said. “They are also playing at home, so they will be very motivated. “They are the team with the tallest average height in the tournament, and have physically strong players who attack in numbers, so we need to be very focused defensively. That is something we have been working on a lot.”
India and China have met only once before at this level, during the AFC U16 Women’s Championship qualifiers in 2008, when China edged India 1-0.
Despite the scale of the challenge, the Young Tigresses enter the contest carrying a belief built over months of preparation and a tournament campaign that has already rewritten history.
Centre-back Abhista Basnett, who captained the side against Japan earlier in the tournament, stressed that the squad has quickly shifted focus after celebrating qualification.
“We are very happy to be in the quarter-finals, but our job is not done yet,” said Abhista after Sunday morning’s training session. “There is still one more game between us and our dream, so our full focus is on that. Playing in the World Cup has always been our dream.
“We enjoyed the quarter-final qualification, celebrated together, had fun and relaxed for a while, but now the focus has shifted back to our main goal. Reaching the quarter-finals was the first step. The next match is the most important one for us now.”
The 15-year-old from Pakyong, Sikkim, also emphasised the importance of staying mentally locked in despite the occasion and the atmosphere surrounding the hosts. “China are a strong team. They will be playing at home with the support of the crowd. But once we step onto the pitch, we only focus on ourselves, our game, and our dream. We know how they play, we have prepared well, and we are ready to give everything," Abhista said.
Throughout the tournament, Conti has repeatedly stressed that the experience itself is an important part of the players’ development. Facing a side like China on a major stage, in front of a large crowd, is another step in that journey.
“I think this is a great experience for the players. Matches like these help them grow. At the same time, we must respect and recognise China’s strength," the Italian said.
“For me, the most important thing is that the girls enjoy this experience. These are football matches that help you develop as a player and as a person. “The players must understand that they are going to face a great team in a big stadium, and whatever happens, they will always have memories of something unique and special.”
Beyond tactics and preparation, the emotional connection within the squad has become one of the defining features of India’s campaign. “The support we have received after qualifying has been amazing,” said Abhista. “My message to everyone is to keep supporting and motivating us, no matter what the result is.
“This whole journey, from the camps to the qualifiers and now this tournament, has brought us together like a family. We understand each other so well now, players, coaches, and staff alike. I think that bond is one of the biggest things we have gained from this experience.”
Conti, meanwhile, believes the occasion carries meaning far beyond the ninety minutes ahead. “My message to the girls is that they should become an inspiration for the future generation of girls in India. They must enjoy the moment because football gives emotions that nothing else can give. This is a match that could take us to glory," said Conti.
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