India’s campaign for the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Australia will kick off against Vietnam on March 4.
The last time India participated in the tournament was in 2022, where the country hosted and saw China emerge as champions in the final against South Korea. However, the Indian campaign ended abruptly due to uncontrollable circumstances.
What happened the last time India played in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup?
India’s 2022 Women’s Asian Cup campaign ended after a COVID-19 outbreak within the team forced it to withdraw from the tournament.
The Blue Tigresses were drawn into Group A alongside China, Chinese Taipei and Iran, where they faced Iran in their first match, which ended in a 0–0 draw.
The next match was due to take place against Chinese Taipei on January 23, but it never materialized as the required number of 13 players for the match could not be named, with the majority of the squad having been diagnosed with COVID-19.
This ultimately led to the team’s early exit from the tournament and the competition’s only match being declared null and void.
Published on March 3, 2026
