As preparations intensify for the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup Thailand 2026, the India U20 women’s national team has embarked on a crucial overseas training and exposure tour in Sweden, where they are scheduled to play four friendly matches against senior club sides later this month.
The Young Tigresses arrived in Sweden on February 5 and have since been training at the Bosön National Sports Centre in Lidingö, located on the outskirts of Stockholm. The high-performance facility, widely used by Swedish national teams across disciplines, is expected to provide an ideal environment for India’s youngsters to acclimatise to European playing conditions while sharpening their tactical and physical readiness ahead of the continental competition in April.
As part of the tour, India will take on the senior women’s teams of Hammarby IF on February 19, Täby FK on February 22, Enskede IK Dam on February 25, and Karlbergs BK on February 28. The opening match against Hammarby IF will be played at the Hammarby Sports Ground in Stockholm, while the remaining three fixtures will take place at the Bosön National Sports Centre.
Facing senior club teams is expected to offer India’s U20 players a significantly higher level of competitive intensity compared to age-group fixtures. The physicality, pace of play, and tactical discipline typical of European club football are likely to test the squad in key areas such as defensive organisation, midfield transitions, and decision-making under pressure all of which will be critical when they take on Asia’s elite sides in the upcoming tournament.
India have been drawn in Group C of the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup Thailand 2026, where they will face formidable opponents in Japan, Australia, and Chinese Taipei. The team will begin their campaign against Japan on April 2, followed by Australia on April 5 and Chinese Taipei on April 8.
The exposure tour in Sweden forms an integral part of the team’s final phase of preparation, aimed at bridging the gap between domestic training standards and the demands of international competition. In recent years, the All India Football Federation has increasingly emphasised overseas training camps for youth teams to ensure players are exposed to varied playing styles and match environments before stepping onto the continental stage.
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Training at Bosön has focused on improving tactical cohesion and match fitness, with coaching staff keen to simulate high-tempo match situations in order to prepare the squad for the intensity of tournament football. The friendlies against Swedish clubs are also expected to help the team fine-tune their set-piece strategies and pressing structures, which often prove decisive in tightly contested international fixtures.
With less than two months remaining before the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup gets underway, these matches will provide the coaching staff with valuable insights into player combinations, positional adaptability, and overall squad depth. Performance in these fixtures could play a significant role in determining the final lineup for the tournament in Thailand.
For a young Indian side looking to make its mark on the continental stage, the Sweden tour presents not just an opportunity for competitive match practice, but also a chance to build confidence and resilience against experienced opposition.
As the Young Tigresses continue their preparations in Europe, the upcoming friendlies will serve as a vital step in shaping their readiness for the challenges that await in April.
