Three Indian players to watch out for in AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers

The Blue Colts will begin their campaign against Palestine in the AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers.

India’s U17 football team will look to qualify for the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup when the qualifiers begin on Saturday, November 22, 2025. Bibiano Fernandes‘ side will play four matches in the group stage, and they will need to top the group to qualify for the U17 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia next year.

The pressure is on Fernandes, who has selected a pretty strong squad to participate in the matches. With the Indian senior team failing to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup, the U17 side will look to somewhat redeem them by qualifying for the youth edition of the tournament.

He will need his entire squad to play to their maximum potential, but there are a few particular gems that can play crucial roles in India’s success in the qualifiers.

These players’ impressive performances for the youth teams or in the youth scene in India have turned attention, as they’ve proven themselves capable of leading India U17 to major results. Here we take a look at the three Indian players to watch out for in the upcoming 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup qualifiers.

3. Shubham Poonia

The fact of the matter is that India U17 will need to be defensively strong to hold their own in the U17 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. They’ll be facing the likes of Iran and Lebanon in the qualifiers, and Bibiano Fernandes will need his young starlet Shubham Poonia to be at his sturdiest in these matches.

Poonia has already earned praise for his performances in the youth scene, as he joined NorthEast United’s youth team earlier in 2025 and even scored three goals in four U17 Youth League playoff matches.

Poonia helped India keep three clean sheets in their U17 SAFF Championship success in 2025 and has proven himself as a combative, no-nonsense kind of defender.

The 15-year-old will need to be at his proactive best in the upcoming qualifiers, read the opposition moves perfectly, and position himself well enough to make crucial challenges. Fernandes will need Poonia to showcase his leadership skills by commanding a sturdy defensive line, and also be smart with his distribution to ensure India U17 can play out of the back with relative ease.

Also Read: Bibiano Fernandes announces 23-member India’s squad for AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers

2. Denny Singh Wangkhem

The India U17 captain will have major responsibilities on his shoulders to act as an inspired leader for the Blue Colts in the upcoming matches. Denny Singh has performed well for the India U17 side so far, as he scored three goals in the U17 SAFF Championship success earlier this year.

He has also impressed for Mangalore U17 in the U17 Youth League 2025, producing some eye-catching performances. Denny has proven himself as an unpredictable threat in the midfield, being able to make clever runs into the empty pockets of space to cause trouble.

He’s blessed with decent creativity in being able to pull the strings in midfield and also create big chances with innovative final third passes. Denny will, however, also look to enhance India U17’s goal-scoring threat by making clever runs into the danger zones and using his efficient scoring skills to torment opponents and be a standout player for Bibiano Fernandes’ side.

Also Read: When and where to watch AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers in India?

1. Guleiba Wangkheirakpam

The India U17 is well aware of the importance of scoring goals consistently to defeat the intimidating teams in the U17 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. They cannot rely on strong defending to get them over the line and will look to play aggressive, attacking football.

However, Bibiano Fernandes will heavily rely on his impressive forward Guleiba Wangkheirakpam in the upcoming matches. The NorthEast United youngster has had a highly impressive 2025, in which he was also promoted to the Highlanders’ U21 side.

Guleiba has scored five goals in nine games for NorthEast United’s U17 and U21 teams this year, including twice in the Reliance Football Development League. He also scored three goals and provided four assists in the U17 SAFF Championship for India. The 16-year-old is blessed with pace and an impressive IQ that allows him to sneak past his marker into the danger areas.

He will look to use his clever movement to get into all the key areas and be innovative to create chances. However, the teenage sensation will need to be ruthless in finishing off chances clinically to help India U17 rack up the wins and qualify for the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup in style.

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