Indian Women's team shirt numbers revealed for AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026

Grace Dangmei is the most capped player in Indian team

The Blue Tigresses are back in the continent’s most premier competition, the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, after a long wait of 43 years. After clinching three medals from 1980 to 1983, the Indian women’s team failed to qualify, and despite hosting the last edition, the team had to withdraw, citing safety concerns during COVID.

At a time when the senior men’s team failed to make it to the AFC Asian Cup, the women’s team made the country prouder by booking their tickets to Australia.

The Blue Tigresses will be led by Costa Rican gaffer Amelia Valverde, who has previously been at the managerial helm of the Costa Rica national team and CF Monterrey, which recently won the Liga MX Femenil Clausura in 2024.

India has golden chance to qualify for 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup

It was never an easy task for the Indian women’s team to defeat the home team, Thailand, in the deciding fixture. But a brace from Sangita Basfore was enough to etch their names in golden letters in the history of Indian football, an era that redefined women’s football in the country.

But the job is still unfinished as India also has a golden chance to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2028 LA Olympics football tournament.

India have been drawn alongside teams like Japan, Vietnam and Chinese Taipei in Group C.

In this feature article, we take a closer look at the jersey numbers worn by the Blue Tigress ahead of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 in Australia.

Eight players in Indian squad were part of 2022 edition

Among the 26-member squad for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, eight of them were previously part of the 2022 edition of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup.

This includes the likes of players like Sweety Devi Ngangbam, Shilky Devi Hemam, Sanju, Anju Tamang, Pyari Xaxa, Grace Dangmei, Manisha Kalyan, and Sowmiya Narayanasamy.

Six potential debutants are yet to receive a senior team cap for India. The defensive duo of Sarita Yumnam and Sushmita Lepcha, midfielders Jasoda Munda, Sanfida Nongrum, and Aveka Singh, and forward Kaviya Pakkirisamy.

Grace Dangmei, the most capped player in the squad, will don the jersey number 11, whereas the golden girl Sangita Basfore, who played a crucial role in helping India reach the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, will have the number 6 on her back.

Jersey numbers of Indian women’s team in AFC Women’s Asian Cup

• 1 – Panthoi Chanu
• 2 – Sweety Devi
• 3 – Astam Oraon
• 4 – Hemam Shilky Devi
• 5 – Juli Kishan
• 6 – Sangita Basfore
• 7 – Ratanbala Nongmaithem (Guguloth Ratanbala)
• 8 – Sanju Yadav
• 9 – Karishma Shirvoikar
• 10 – Pyari Xaxa
• 11 – Dangmei Grace
• 12 – Lynda Kom Serto
• 13 – Sowmiya Narayanasamy
• 14 – Nirmala Devi
• 15 – Martina Thokchom
• 16 – Manisha Kalyan
• 17 – Rimpa Haldar
• 18 – Jasoda Munda
• 19 – Aveka Singh
• 20 – Ngangom Bala Devi (Nongrum)
• 21 – Sarita Devi
• 22 – Anju Tamang Lepcha
• 23 – Shreya Hooda
• 24 – Babina Devi
• 25 – Malavika
• 26 – Kavya P

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