AIFF Announce Huge Cash Reward As Indian U-20 Football Team Qualifies For Asian Cup After Two Decades

Hyderabad: The India U-20 Women’s football team secured a spot in the AFC Asian Cup for the first time in two decades. They achieved the feat by beating hosts Myanmar with a narrow 1-0 win in their final Group D match at the Thuwunna Stadium in Yangon.

With the triumph, the young Tigresses reached the top of the points table and booked a berth in Asia’s marquee tournament. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has decided to reward the young players for their impressive performance with a prize of USD 25,000 (approximately INR 22 lakh) for the national side. Notably, India had last qualified for the competition in 2006.

India in the Group D qualification campaign

India passed the Group D qualification campaign with flying colours, winning two of the three matches they played. The team played a draw against Indonesia (0-0) and then thrashed Turkmenistan (7-0). The team signed off their campaign with a 1-0 win against Myanmar and ensured a spot in the AFC Asian Cup 2026 to be held in Thailand. Notably, India did not concede a single goal throughout the campaign.

AIFF statement on India’s Asian Cup campaign

AIFF said in their release that they are committed to helping the team come up with the best possible preparation for the premier competition.

“The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is pleased to announce a reward of USD 25,000 for the U20 Women’s National Team following their outstanding performance, which secured India’s qualification for the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup for the first time in two decades,” the federation stated.

"The AIFF remains fully committed to ensuring the best possible preparation for the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026, scheduled to be held in Thailand in April 2026. The Federation will work closely with all stakeholders to facilitate extended training camps and secure high-quality international exposure for the team.”

Tournament format

A total of 32 teams are fighting for the 11 spots which are up for grabs at the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 in the qualifiers. Hosts Thailand have earned an automatic qualification.

In the qualifiers, teams are divided into eight groups of four each. The eight group-winners and the three best second-placed teams across all groups will qualify for the main event, which will be played in April next year from 1 to 18.