AFC Asian Cup: Sangita upbeat about making way past tricky draw

It was a fascinating experience for Sangita Basfore, the pint-sized powerhouse of Indian women’s football, to represent the Blue Tigresses at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 draw in Sydney on Tuesday. They have been grouped with Japan, Vietnam and Chinese Taipei — all higher ranked teams — in Group C of the tournament next March.

A group that Crispin Chhetri, the national women’s team coach calls an ‘interesting and tricky one’, while his midfield general Sangita feels they are not unbeatable. The 28-year-old has been a familiar name among the country’s football fans when she struck both goals against a powerful Thailand for their 2-0 win in the crucial qualifier — which helped them earn a ticket to the showpiece early next year.

‘’We’ve already played against Vietnam, Chinese Taipei and Japan in the past, so I know from experience that we can definitely compete with them. At no point did I feel that we couldn’t beat them. We couldn’t win earlier due to some mistakes but we’ll work on those. Our coach is with us, guiding us on the small details, what to do and what to avoid. Based on that, we’ll plan our next steps and give our best,’’ Sangita said.

Speaking to AIFF.com, Sangita reiterated her earlier goal of qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil in 2027 via the Asia Cup. ‘’Our target has always been to reach Brazil and play in the World Cup. Now, we are just one step away. We have to prove ourselves in Australia, represent the national team and carry our flag forward. The goal is to perform well game by game and qualify for the World Cup,’’ said the Kolkata girl, who will soon join her club East Bengal in their AFC Club Cup campaign in Malaysia.

There may still be more than 200 days to go for India’s opening match against Vietnam at the Perth Rectangular Stadium, but Sangita stressed on the need to prepare well from now on. ‘’With the time we have now, we should be playing matches against higher-ranked teams, so we can be ready for next March. When we face those three teams in the Asian Cup, it will be easier for us to judge their game and play with confidence. Exposure to stronger teams will be a great opportunity and will help us build belief going into the tournament.’’

Chhetri said: ‘’Now that we know our opponents, we have to choose our friendly matches wisely and prepare well. Staying together as a unit and working hard in the camps will go a long way in helping us prepare to face the best teams in Asia and target World Cup qualification.’’

Playing a draw assistant at the Sydney Town Hall has been, in Sangita’s words, an unforgettable experience. ‘’The whole experience at the draw in Sydney was really special for me. I got to see and even touch the trophy, which felt amazing. I got goosebumps at the stage. The biggest highlight was visiting Stadium Australia in Sydney. The moment I stepped onto that ground, it felt like the match was about to begin,’’ said Sangita.

India, currently ranked 70th, will begin their campaign against Vietnam (ranked 37th) on 4 March 2026 in Perth; then Japan (7th) on 7 March in Perth and Chinese Taipei (ranked 42nd) on 10 March in Sydney. The AFC Women’s Asian Cup offers six direct and two indirect slots for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil — an opportunity which Chhetri’s girls want to grasp with both hands.