India set to battle Japan, Australia and Lebanon in AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup
India face tough test in the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup draw
India U17 Women’s team were drawn with Japan, Australia and Lebanon in Group B of the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2026 in the Final Draw held at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Thursday, February 12, 2026.Having qualified for the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup for the first time in 21 years after defeating Kyrgyz Republic and Uzbekistan, the Young Tigresses will begin their campaign against Australia, followed by Japan and Lebanon. The tournament will take place from May 1 to 17.
Who will India U17 Women’s team face in AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup?
Japan were runners-up in 2024, thus qualifying automatically for the tournament. They are four-time champions of the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup and also FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup champions in 2014 and runners-up in 2010 and 2016.
Australia were knocked out in the group stage of the 2024 edition and qualified for the 2026 tournament after victories over Singapore and Northern Mariana Islands. On the other hand, Lebanon will make their debut, having made it to its maiden tournament with wins over Kuwait and IR Iran.
In Group A, hosts China PR were drawn alongside Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar. Group C contains DPR Korea, Korea Republic, Philippines and Chinese Taipei.
The AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2026 will be hosted in the city of Suzhou at the Suzhou Sports Centre Stadium and the Suzhou Taihu Football Sports Centre.
The top two sides from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will progress to the quarter-finals. The four semi-finalists will qualify for the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2026, where DPR Korea are the current holders.
AFC U17 WOMEN’S ASIAN CUP CHINA 2026 FINAL DRAW RESULTS
Group A: China PR (H), Thailand, Vietnam, MyanmarGroup B: Japan, Australia, India, LebanonGroup C: DPR Korea, Korea Republic, Philippines, Chinese Taipei
When will the tournament be held?
The AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2026 will be played from May 1 to May 17, 2026.
Which group is India in?
India have been placed in Group B alongside Japan, Australia and Lebanon.
When did India last qualify for this tournament?
India qualified for the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup for the first time in 21 years.
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Rohit Mistri is a sports journalist from Kolkata with over two years of experience in the field. He has extensively covered Indian football, including major tournaments such as the Calcutta Football League and the Indian Super League. His work spans on-ground reporting, match coverage, and in-depth storytelling, along with interviews of prominent sporting personalities. Rohit brings strong communication skills and a deep passion for sports narratives to everything he writes.