India appoints Pamela Conti as head coach of the U-17 women’s team ahead of the AFC Asian Cup

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has appointed Pamela Conti as the head coach of the Indian U17 women’s national team.

The 43-year-old Italian has joined the Indian U-17 women’s training camp in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, as the Young Tigresses prepare for the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2026, which starts in April.

As part of Conti’s support staff, assistant coach Vincenzo Conti, her brother, will also join the India U-17 women’s team. Nivetha Ramadoss will also continue in the role of assistant coach.

Conti’s first official assignment will be the 2026 SAFF U-19 Women’s Championship which will take place in Pokhara, Nepal, from January 31 to February 7. India will participate in the tournament with its U-17 team, comprising players born on or after 2009.

A former Italy international midfielder, Conti brings a wealth of experience at both top and international coaching levels.

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During a distinguished playing career, she earned 90 caps and scored 30 goals for the Italian women’s national team, representing her country at the highest levels of European football, including the 2005 and 2009 UEFA European Women’s Championship.

She also enjoyed an extensive club career in Italy (Sassari Torres), Spain (Levante and Espanyol), Sweden (Eskilstuna United), Russia (Energy Voronezh and Zorky Krasnogorsk) and the United States (Buffalo Flash), winning multiple domestic league titles and cup competitions.

Conti started her coaching career in 2018 with the Atlético de Madrid Femenino U-16 team in Spain. In 2019, she took over the job of the Venezuelan seniors and U-20 women’s national team, where she remained for five years.

Conti guided Venezuela to its second ever qualification for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in 2024. The South American nation came close to qualifying for the first FIFA Women’s World Cup under her leadership, but narrowly missed out on a place in the play-off tournament on penalties in 2022.

Published on January 25, 2026