Thomas Dennerby, head coach of the Indian Women’s Football Team, has announced a 22-member national roster for the next Asian Games 2023. The Asiad women’s football tournament will begin in September. Talismanic Bala Devi returned to the Squad. In the Asian Games 2023, India are in Group B along with Chinese Taipei and Thailand.
The Indian women will be the lowest-ranked team in Group B, placed 60th. Both Chinese Taipei (37th) and Thailand (44th) have higher rankings than India. Japan, the reigning women’s champion, is in Group D. Group A and Group C are occupied by China and the Republic of Korea, respectively.
They each have three gold medals from the Asian Games 2023. The top teams from each group, as well as the three best second-placed teams from each group, will advance to the quarter-finals.
The Indian women’s football team has only competed in two Asian Games, finishing eighth in Bangkok in 1998 and ninth in Incheon in 2014. In 1990, women’s football made its debut at the Asian Games.
Both the Indian men’s and women’s football teams did not compete in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. This is because the Indian sports ministry stipulated that only sports teams rated eighth or higher in Asia in the previous year could represent India in the continental tournament.
The same laws applied to Hangzhou 2023 as well. The ministry then amended the rule to allow the two Hangzhou football teams to participate.
Indian Women’s Football Squad for the 19th Asian Games:
Goalkeepers: Shreya Hooda, Sowmiya Narayanasamy, Panthoi Chanu.
Defenders: Ashalata Devi, Sweety Devi, Ritu Rani, Dalima Chhibber, Astam Oraon, Sanju, Ranjana Chanu.
Midfielders: Sangita Basfore, Priyangka Devi, Indumathi Kathiresan, Anju Tamang, Soumya Guguloth, Dangmei Grace.
Forwards: Pyari Xaxa, Jyoti, Renu, Bala Devi, Manisha, Sandhiya Ranganathan.
Head Coach: Thomas Dennerby.
