Amelia Valverde, who led Costa Rica at the World Cup, joins the Indian coaching team for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup

Former Costa Rica head coach Amelia Valverde, who led the national team in two FIFA World Cups, will join the Indian women’s coaching team for the upcoming AFC Women’s Asian Cup.

The Indian squad is currently in Turkiye for a month-long camp – including preparatory matches – and the 39-year-old coach, who is yet to officially sign on the dotted line, is expected to join the squad there.

Sports stars understands that Valverde will not replace current head coach Crispin Chettri, who had guided the Blue Tigresses to a successful qualifying campaign. Both coaches are expected to work together.

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«They asked me to bring in a foreign coach, and I said no problem, getting help is always welcome. But someone coming so close to the tournament and understanding the players is quite difficult. There should be no conflict in the coaching philosophies. But someone coming and sharing his experiences and ideas will definitely help the team,» Chettri had told this publication in an earlier chat.

Another reason for Valverde’s signing, in addition to her wealth of experience, will be her UEFA Pro License in coaching. To participate in the Asian Cup as a head coach, you must hold an AFC Pro license or its equivalent. Chettri holds an AFC ‘A’ license, which was the reason that during the qualifiers, Priya PV, the team’s assistant coach, was India’s head coach on the official team sheet.

Valverde was the coach of Costa Rica between 2015 and 2023, during which the team played two World Cups (2015 and 2023). Both times the national team failed to progress past the group stage. The coach led the Costa Ricans to a gold medal at the 2017 Central American Games, a silver medal at the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games and a bronze medal at the 2019 Pan American Games.

Valverde’s Costa Rica faced Japan, one of India’s group stage opponents at the Asian Cup, at the 2023 World Cup in a match the Japanese won 2-0.

Published on January 15, 2026