The coming months mark a pivotal chapter for Indian youth football as the India U-17 men’s national team prepares for back-to-back assignments: the SAFF U17 Championship 2025 in Sri Lanka and the AFC U-17 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers in Ahmedabad.
Together, these tournaments will shape not only the immediate fortunes of the squad but also the long-term trajectory of India’s youth football program. The campaign follows a logical two-step design. First, the SAFF Championship (Sept 15–27 in Sri Lanka) serves as a “testing ground” to sharpen tactical readiness, build cohesion, and assess squad depth. Grouped with Pakistan, Bhutan, and Maldives, India begins its campaign against the Maldives on September 16.
India is placed in Group B of 2025 SAFF U-17 Championship. The draw was held on July 20, 2025. The tournament will be hosted by Sri Lanka. In Group B, Pakistan, Bhutan and Maldives are placed along with India.
Host Sri Lanka, is placed with Nepal and Bangladesh in Group A. India have won the tournament six times 2013, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, finished runners-up in 2011 & 2015 while third in 2018. Bangladesh won in 2015 & 2018 while Pakistan won in 2011, the inaugural edition.
The group offers varied challenges: Pakistan, former champions in 2011, are expected to be India’s toughest opponents, while Bhutan and Maldives present opportunities to rotate players, test combinations, and build momentum. India’s dominance at this level is well established: the team is six-time champion, with three consecutive titles (2022, 2023, 2024). The weight of history means nothing less than a seventh title will be seen as success. But beyond silverware, the tournament is crucial rehearsal for the higher stakes of November’s AFC qualifiers.
The Bigger Prize: AFC U-17 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers
From November 22–30, India will host Group D of the AFC U-17 Qualifiers at The Arena, Ahmedabad. The stakes are unforgiving: only the group winner advances to the 2026 Asian Cup Finals. India’s opponents include Iran, Palestine, Chinese Taipei, and Lebanon. The format is a single round-robin league, with no second chance for runners-up as in past editions. The schedule culminates in India’s final match against Iran on November 30, a clash almost certain to decide the group.
Iran, former AFC U-16 champions (2008) and 2023 semi-finalists, bring pedigree and recent form, including a win over South Korea two years ago. For India, the road to qualification will likely hinge on being flawless against Palestine, Chinese Taipei, and Lebanon and then rising to the occasion in a high-pressure decider against Iran. Success here is critical. The AFC U-17 Asian Cup doubles as the gateway to the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2026 in Qatar, with the top eight teams earning qualification. India’s only appearance came as hosts in 2017. Reaching Qatar would mark a historic milestone for the current generation.
New Leadership: Ishfaq Ahmed Steps In
This campaign also marks a coaching transition. While Bibiano Fernandes architect of multiple youth triumphs has moved to lead the U-19s, the U-17 side is now under Ishfaq Ahmed (appointed July 2023).
Fernandes’ legacy of SAFF titles and a quarter-final at the 2018 AFC U-16 Championship sets a high bar. Ishfaq inherits both expectations and the challenge of shaping a tactical identity that blends continuity with innovation. His ability to deliver results in this campaign will be the first real test of the AIFF’s coaching pipeline model, which aims to build long-term sustainability in leadership.
The squad is anchored by experienced names such as captain Ngamgouhou Mate and prolific scorers Levis Zangminlun and Sumit Sharma, who were instrumental in the last SAFF title run. Around them, new talent has been blooded, reflecting AIFF’s structured scouting and academy system. The AIFF Academy Accreditation program continues to feed talent into the national setup, creating a broader base of technically polished youngsters. The success of this campaign will, in many ways, reflect the health of India’s grassroots-to-national-team pipeline.
A Blueprint from the Women’s Team
A timely inspiration comes from the India U-17 women’s team, which lifted the SAFF U-17 Championship in August 2025, finishing with five wins, one loss, and a remarkable 30 goals scored. Stars like Anushka Kumari (8 goals) and MVP Abhista Basnett showcased how dominance, consistency, and mental strength can be combined at this level. For the men, this serves as an internal benchmark: a reminder that high-performance campaigns are possible with the right tactical discipline and psychological resilience.
The road ahead is not without hurdles. The psychological pressure of being SAFF favorites, the tactical task of handling Iran in November, and the need to integrate new players swiftly will all test the side.
Short-term priorities include:
- Using the SAFF Championship to experiment tactically and give fringe players minutes.
- Keeping focus on Iran as the likely “do-or-die” match in AFC qualifiers.
- Emphasizing scoring efficiency, as goal difference could prove decisive.
Long-term priorities for AIFF:
- Continue investment in grassroots scouting and academy systems.
- Build a robust coach development pathway to ensure smooth transitions.
- Strengthen competitive exposure for youth teams through more international friendlies.
The India U-17 men’s campaign in 2025 is more than just another tournament cycle. It is a test of AIFF’s youth development vision, a measure of Ishfaq Ahmed’s leadership, and a chance for young players to etch their names in history. The SAFF Championship will set the stage; the AFC Qualifiers in Ahmedabad will deliver the verdict. Between September and November, the trajectory of Indian youth football could be redefined.
