Top News

New Delhi: The disturbing shadow of the kit fiasco looming large over their heads notwithstanding, the Indian women’s team are determined to make the campaign a memorable one when they take on Vietnam in their opening Group C tie of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 in Perth on Wednesday.

It is unfortunate that instead of focussing on last-minute tactical and technical upgrades before their tournament opener, players had to bring their “deep concern” over ill-fitting kits to the All India Football Federation‘s notice.

But after the Asian Football Confederation’s match commissioner approved the two makeshift jerseys sourced locally on Tuesday, a day before their opener, flared tempers cooled off with focus back on the Vietnam challenge.

Being the lowest ranked team in the group at 67, India already have an uphill task starting with the rapidly improving Vietnam (36), followed by two-time champions and the best-ranked Asian team Japan (8) on March 7 and Chinese Taipei (40) on March 10.

Costa Rican Amelia Valverde was brought in as the head coach less than two months before the tournament on top of Crispin Chhetri, under whom the team qualified for the first time since 2003.

Her experience of leading Costa Rica’s senior women’s team to two Women’s World Cups appealed to AIFF for a team that is short on competitive action, having last played an international match in October 2025.

Will eight friendly games (six during a month-long camp in Turkiye and two in Australia) against nondescript clubs and an early arrival in the host country (Feb 11) be enough against an opponent that has competed in four international matches in February, winning once and losing thrice against Uzbekistan and China (two matches each)?

“We know our responsibilities, and that is to put the best version of ourselves on the pitch. Our job is to exhibit the best version of the Indian team, and make sure there’s no doubt that we will be out there to compete and give our best,” Valverde said on the match eve.

Apart from neutralising Vietnam, who have the same bunch of players and coach that featured in the 2023 FIFA World Cup, Valverde also has to find a capable replacement for the injured Anju Tamang, whose presence in the middle of the pitch would have been a boost.

Vietnam have beaten India in both previous meetings in the tournament though it will be the first time since 2003 that they will face each other again.

Amelia Valverde took charge of the senior team weeks before the Women’s Asian Cup. Photo: @IndianFootball

Kits trouble

The team will be without an official kits partner during the continental event for which they have qualified on sporting merit for the first time since 2003, players will also have to make do with makeshift gears as the ones shipped from Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, were too small in size for at least 80% of the 26 member squad.

Not only were the kits provided to players appeared manufactured for “Under-15 or smaller athletes”, those for the coaching staff were also “incorrectly sized”.

“This tournament marks our return to a major continental competition after 23 years and is a significant moment for Indian women’s football. Unfortunately, on Matchday Minus 2, when the training and match jerseys arrived via cargo, we discovered a serious issue,” the players wrote to AIFF deputy secretary general M Satyanarayan.

“Over the past days, players and staff have already faced challenges due to the lack of appropriate clothing during preparation. The arrival of incorrect match kits at this crucial stage has further affected morale and disrupted our focus in the final days leading up to the match,” the players said.

“Representing India on the international stage requires professional standards, including properly fitted and appropriate match and training apparel.”

An AIFF official insisted the jersey episode was unfortunate and not a result of their administrative mismanagement despite inability to agree on a deal on time with either of the two companies that bid for the tender due to differences in demands and expectations.

“The kits sponsor we have spoken to (Nivia Sports) said they can’t provide apparel before the tournament. The kits ordered were sent directly to Australia. Unfortunately, sizes are tight for the players it seems,” the official told News9 Sports.

“This morning the match commissioner approved the two sets of jerseys that we hurriedly ordered from an Italian company which has a footprint in Perth. The entire episode wasn’t deliberate at all and wasn’t entirely in our hands too.”

Match details:

Kick-off: 4.30pm IST.

Live streaming on Fancode.