Crispin Chettri to be Indian Women's Football Team's head coach for Pink Ladies Cup

Indian Women’s Football Team are one of six teams participating in the tournament.

The Indian Women’s Football Team under new head coach Crispin Chettri is set to participate in the prestigious Pink Ladies Cup starting next month. The tournament is scheduled to take place between February 19 to February 27, 2025, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The cup tournament will feature six teams from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and will be a golden opportunity for India to test their mettle against higher-ranked teams on the international stage.

The Pink Ladies Cup will be the second edition of the tournament and was created with a vision to support the development of women’s football.

How many teams are participating with the Indian Women’s Football Team?

The Pink Ladies Cup will see the participation of Russia (27th in FIFA rankings), South Korea (20th in FIFA rankings), Uzbekistan (51st in FIFA rankings), Jordan (74th in FIFA rankings), Thailand (45th in FIFA rankings), and India (69th in FIFA rankings). Similar to last year’s tournament which took place in Antalya, Turkey, the organizers will be hoping the tournament allows the teams to enhance their competitive edge.

As one of the underdogs in the tournament, with Chettri’s arrival, the Indian Women’s Football Team will be eager to showcase their growth and put their best foot forward. The participation in the cup comes at a time when women’s football in the country is gradually gaining momentum.

The Blue Tigresses have been putting in the work

Over the past few years, the Indian Women’s Football Team has worked hard to bridge the gap between themselves and higher-ranked nations. Under former coach Santosh Kashyap, the Blue Tigresses bowed out of the SAFF Championships in the semi-final stage after some spirited performances.

In his last game in charge, Joakim Alexandersson won the game against Maldives with a dominant 11-1 win. Goals from Kajol D’Souza, Pooja, Sibani Devi, Simran Gurung (2 goals), Khumukcham Bhumika Devi and four goals from debutant Lhingdeikim helped the team start the new year in the right way.

A chance for Crispin Chettri to evaluate the squad

Competing against the likes of South Korea and Russia presents a significant challenge for incoming coach Crispin Chettri. But it also offers invaluable exposure and experience for the Indian Women’s Football Team players to test themselves with superior teams.

The tournament is expected to be a platform for India to strengthen their defensive organization and improve their attacking transitions. Both attack and defence have been areas where they’ve shown potential in recent matches.

Moreover, the games will provide head coach Crispin Chettri with a chance to evaluate his team and implement his tactics and style of play.

The Pink Ladies Cup is a big opportunity

The tournament will also as serve as a very important trial and test for the upcoming qualifiers for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 to be held in Australia. The Blue Tigress are on a path of revamping and forming a new squad after dropping out some of the major senior names, especially in the last two friendlies.

The tournament is not just about winning—it’s about making a statement from Indian football to the world. A strong showing in Dubai could inspire a new wave of interest and investment in women’s football in India.

Greater investment and success could help the AIFF set the stage for a brighter future and maybe surpass the men’s team in terms of popularity. With the tournament starting in less than a month, fans of Indian football will watch with bated breath.

The Blue Pilgrims will be hoping Blue Tigresses rise to the occasion and make the nation proud on the international stage.

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