Italian coach Pamela Conti set to take charge of India U17 Women's team ahead of AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup

India U17 Women’s team last featured in the 2005 edition of the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup.

India’s preparations for the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup are set to receive a significant boost with the AIFF closing in on the appointment of Italian coach Pamela Conti as the head coach of the India U-17 women’s team.

The federation had also shortlisted a Swedish coach with experience as an assistant at the national team level in Sweden and Brazil, but Conti emerged as the preferred choice.

Her work with Venezuela’s women’s team, particularly their qualification for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in 2024, played a key role in the decision. The Italian coach is expected to be handed a short-term contract, covering India’s campaign at the upcoming AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup in China.

An AIFF official on Sunday, speaking to TOI, said, “We have agreed terms with Conti and should be able to sign the contract in the next couple of days. Women’s football is at a crucial stage and a good performance at the Asian level can spur the sport to greater heights in India.”

“Conti has great coaching experience, having been with the Atletico Madrid U-17 team and then the Venezuela women’s national team, who are ranked in the forties in FIFA rankings for the past 5 years. In Venezuela, she looked after the seniors, U-20 and U-17 teams and was in charge of the entire structure,” said another official.

Pamela Conti’s Managerial career and achievements

Pamela Conti comes with a rich footballing background, having played at the top levels of women’s football in Italy’s Serie A and Spain’s La Liga. She also earned 90 caps for the Italian senior national team, carving out a reputation as a skilful, intelligent forward with a deep understanding of the game and a passion for developing those around her.

After retiring, Conti transitioned smoothly into coaching, beginning her managerial journey in Spain with Atletico Madrid’s women’s youth teams, where she developed her coaching philosophy in a structured, high-performance environment.

In 2019, Conti was appointed head coach of the Venezuela women’s national team, overseeing the senior side as well as the U20 and U23 teams. Her tenure delivered tangible results, most notably guiding Venezuela’s U-20 team to qualification for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in 2024.

On the regional stage, Conti guided her teams to several notable successes, including a gold medal at the U23 ALBA Games, gold at the 2022 South American Games and a silver at the Central American Games. Beyond results, she has also participated in the FIFA Coach Mentorship Program.

Asian challenge for the U-17 Women’s national team

With the appointment of Pamela Conti, the India U17 women’s team now looks ahead to the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup, set to be held in China from 30 April to 17 May 2026.

This edition will feature 12 teams for the first time, drawn into 3 groups of 4, with no 3rd place playoff. The top 4 teams will earn spots at the 2026 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, raising the stakes for every match.

For India, this marks only their 2nd appearance at the tournament since the inaugural edition in 2005. The U17 Indian women’s team is currently placed in pot 3 with the Philippines and Vietnam, and the draw on 12th February 2026 in Kuala Lumpur will decide the opponents that the Indian women’s team will face in the tournament.

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