India aims for AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup Qualification

China 2025 is set to begin, and India will be among the nine nations aiming for their first-ever qualification.

The official draw for the qualifiers will take place on October 17, 2024, in Kuala Lumpur, where 19 teams will discover their paths to the prestigious tournament.

This marks the first time a qualifying round will be held for the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup.

India, alongside teams like Australia, Iraq, Pakistan, and the Philippines, will be in Pot 4 for the draw.

These teams will be competing in a centralised league format from January 11 to 19, 2025, hoping to secure a place in the Finals. 

The qualifiers will see 19 teams divided into four groups—three groups of five teams and one group of four teams. 

The top two teams from each group, along with the best third-placed team, will join hosts China PR and the top two teams from 2018, Iran and Japan, in the Finals.

The Finals will be a crucial opportunity for India, as the top three teams will earn a spot in the inaugural FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup, to be held in the Philippines in the second half of 2025.

If India can progress through the qualifiers, it would be a significant achievement for women’s futsal in the country, which is still developing at the international level.

Iran, the reigning champions of the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup (having won both the 2015 and 2018 editions), remain one of the top contenders. However, with teams like India looking to make a mark, the competition promises to be fierce.

The draw for the qualifiers will be closely watched, as India and the other newcomers aim to challenge the more experienced futsal nations. 

The pots for the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup 2025 Qualifiers are as follows:

• Pot 1: Vietnam

• Pot 2: Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, China, Lebanon, Turkmenistan

• Pot 3: Bahrain, Macau

• Pot 4: Australia, India, Iraq, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines

• Hosts Pot: Thailand, Indonesia, Uzbekistan, Myanmar

The AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup China 2025 will not only showcase the best of Asian women’s futsal but also provide a chance for emerging teams like India to shine on the continental stage.

The AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup is scheduled for May 2025, and if India qualifies, it will be a historic moment for women’s sports in the country.