India’s preparations for the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 are entering a decisive phase as the India U17 men’s national team gears up to play two international friendly matches against Myanmar in Yangon on March 3 and 5, 2026.
With continental competition fast approaching, these fixtures are expected to serve as a final tactical rehearsal for head coach Bibiano Fernandes and his squad before they head into one of the toughest groups in the tournament. The Blue Colts will depart for Myanmar on February 28 after continuing their training in Goa following a recent exposure tour to Türkiye. These upcoming friendlies form the final stage of a carefully structured international preparation cycle designed to ready the young Indian side for elite-level Asian competition.
Over the past two months, India’s U17 programme has followed a phased development roadmap aimed at exposing the players to varied styles of football across different tactical ecosystems. The year began with a residential training camp in Goa, where the squad worked on building a cohesive tactical identity and sharpening transition-based attacking patterns.
Photo: Nikhil Patil/AFC
India’s first international assignments came in the form of two friendlies against Tajikistan in January. A promising 4-2 victory in the opening match highlighted the team’s ability to execute offensive transitions against physically imposing opponents. However, the subsequent goalless draw exposed limitations in breaking down compact defensive blocks, prompting the coaching staff to place renewed emphasis on creativity in the final third and improved set-piece efficiency.
The next phase of preparation saw the Blue Colts travel to Antalya for a European exposure tour, where they faced the Türkiye U17 national team in two friendlies. While the first encounter ended in a narrow 0-1 defeat that showcased India’s growing defensive organisation, the second match resulted in a heavy 1-6 loss. The defeat served as a critical learning moment, revealing structural vulnerabilities in wide defensive transitions and mid-block compactness areas that are now central to the team’s tactical adjustments ahead of the Asian Cup.
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India concluded their Turkish tour on a positive note with a 4-2 victory over FC Spartak Moscow’s U17 side in a closed-door friendly, demonstrating the squad’s psychological resilience and attacking depth after the earlier setback.
The forthcoming matches against Myanmar are strategically significant for multiple reasons. Myanmar, who have also qualified for the AFC U17 Asian Cup after topping their qualifying group ahead of Oman and Syria, represent one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-improving youth football systems. Their playing style typically built around technical agility and rapid wing play offers India an ideal test case ahead of the challenges they will face in Group D of the Asian Cup.
Environmental acclimatisation is another key objective behind the Yangon tour. Playing in humid Southeast Asian conditions is expected to simulate aspects of the climate in Jeddah, the tournament host city in May, thereby aiding the squad’s physical adaptation ahead of the competition.
From a tactical standpoint, Bibiano Fernandes has outlined three primary focus areas for the Myanmar series: defensive stabilisation following the six goals conceded against Türkiye, improved management of wide attacking threats, and enhanced efficiency in front of goal from key forwards such as Dallalmuon Gangte and Gunleiba Wangkheirakpam.
India have been drawn into a daunting Group D at the AFC U17 Asian Cup alongside defending champions Uzbekistan, physically robust Australia, and tactically disciplined DPR Korea a section widely regarded as one of the most competitive in the tournament. Their campaign begins against Australia on May 6, followed by fixtures against Uzbekistan on May 10 and DPR Korea on May 13.
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Qualification for the AFC U17 Asian Cup also carries significant stakes beyond continental success, with the tournament serving as the primary pathway to the FIFA U17 World Cup 2026 in Qatar. With eight Asian teams set to qualify for the expanded global showpiece, every point and goal in the group stage could prove decisive even for third-placed teams.
In this context, the Myanmar friendlies assume added importance as India looks to fine-tune its defensive organisation, transition play and finishing under match conditions. The exposure gained from these matches will be vital in preparing the squad not just to compete, but to potentially secure a historic World Cup qualification through consistent group-stage performances.
As the Blue Colts prepare for their final preparatory assignment in Yangon, the coming week offers an opportunity to translate months of training and international exposure into a cohesive tournament-ready system one capable of meeting the demands of top-tier Asian youth football.
