With India's sensational triumph over Iran in Ahmedabad, all 16 teams to contest for the AFC U17 2026 glory in Saudi Arabia were confirmed on Sunday, Nov. 30. India's U17 football side defeated the much-fancied Iran side 2-1 in their final match at the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers and secured a berth from Group D.
Head coach Bibiano Fernandes' Blue Colts had to win to make it to the Saudi Arabian shores next summer after a 1-1 draw against Palestine, a 3-1 victory over Chinese Taipei and a pain-staking loss to Lebanon.
Having conceded an 18th-minute goal to Amirreza Valipoor, India bounced back superbly in the contest with captain Dallalmuon Gangte maximising a penalty chance and Gunleiba Wangkheirakpam executing what turned out to be a winning strike in the 51st minute.
Goalkeeper Rajrup Sarkar and defenders Lawmsangzuala, Shubham Poonia, and Meitei Konthoujam also played a critical role in the team's marvellous triumph.
The victory has revived hopes for the future of Indian football amidst recent setbacks, reflecting positively on the depth of the country's talent pool and overall playing scene.
AFC U17 Asian Cup: Qualified Teams
As the designated host of the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup, Saudi Arabia had already made it to the showpiece event alongside Qatar, named as the FIFA U17 2025 World Cup hosts. India joined them as the Group D winners from the qualifiers, with China (Group A), Yemen (Group B), Vietnam (Group C), Australia (Group E), Thailand (Group F) and Myanmar (Group G) securing a top spot in their respective groups.
The 1️⃣6️⃣ sides that will play for glory at #AFCU17 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia 2026 are now confirmed! pic.twitter.com/CysQLh5NN7
November 30, 2025Defending champions Uzbekistan, 2025 semi-finalists North Korea and South Korea and four quarter-finalists Japan, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates and Tajikistan make up the rest of the participants.
AFC U17 Asian Cup: India's Journey At The AFC U17 Asian Cup So Far
This will be India's 10th appearance in the continental tournament. It has previously played the AFC U17 Asia Cup in 1990, 1996, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2018, and 2023.
Team India's best finish in the competition came in 2002 and 2018 when it reached the quarterfinals.
India's last apperance in the AFC U17 Asian Cup was in the 2023 edition after failing to qualify in the last edition held in 2025. During the 2023 edition, India was clubbed with Vietnam, Uzbekistan and Japan in group stage. India began their Asian campaign with a draw with Vietnam by 1–1 but lost to Uzbekistan by a solitary goal. They later faced a huge defeat against Japan with a scoreline of 8-4 and ended their campaign with a draw and two losses.
AFC U17 Asian Cup: Date, Format, Venues
The 2026 AFC U17 Asia Cup will be played across venues in Saudi Arabia from May 7 to May 24, 2026. These 16 contenders will be divided into four groups of four teams each at the competition, before the table-toppers and the group stage runners-up qualify for the knock-out stages.
The full schedule for the AFC U17 Asia Cup 2026 hasn't been announced yet. The draw to confirm the groups and the fixtures will be held on February 12, 2026.
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