Latest news with #AFCWomen'sAsianCup2026
Indian Express
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
Sunil Chhetri's speech for Indian women's team: ‘You'll get time to live normal life… (right now) just go mad'
The Indian women's football team, currently preparing for the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers, had a special visitor in the form of Sunil Chhetri to boost their morale. Currently playing for the Indian men's football team after reversing his decision to retire from international football, Sunil Chhetri gave a rousing speech to the Blue Tigresses. In the sattar-minute-esque speech, Chhetri urged the players to 'go crazy' in their pursuit to keep playing football at the top level. 'Kal main athra saal ka tha (Yesterday, I was 18 years old!) Today, I'm 41! Your coach (Crispin Chhetri) and I were in same team once. The reason I am saying this is to tell you that time flies. Fast! If you really want it bad, take all the margins. There will be no difference between sleeping at 10 pm and sleeping at 10.45 pm in one night. But do this for a year, and you see the difference. If you eat a samosa one day, won't make too much of a difference. But don't eat it for one year, you see where you are! Please don't waste it (your youth). You're still young. Just go mad! Normal life jeene ke liye wakt milega (You'll get plenty of time to live a normal life),' Sunil Chhetri told the Indian players. 'Yesterday I was 18. Today, I'm 41. Time flies.' 🥺 Words of wisdom for any young athlete from our Captain, Leader and Legend. ©️ Watch! 🎥#WeAreBFC #BlueTigresses #IndianFootball — Bengaluru FC (@bengalurufc) May 18, 2025 Sunil Chhetri then opened up about his fears of retiring from the sport completely. 'Football choot jaayega (My football career will end) and I will not be a never be a professional player is the biggest sorrow of my life,' Sunil Chhetri told members of the Indian women's team huddled around him in a circle. 'Nothing scares me or makes me sadder than that thought. There will be a time, when I won't be able to train, or compete, I can't tackle or I can't score! There's just one more year left for that!' The team then gave him an autographed jersey which made him grin from ear to ear. We had a special visitor at the #BlueTigresses 🐯 camp in Bengaluru 🤩@chetrisunil11 🙌 Read more 👉 — Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) May 18, 2025 'You know in all these years of playing for India, I have never had a jersey autographed by the rest of the Indian team. I'll frame this one!' he told the players. The Indian women's football team have been training at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru since the start of the month to compete in the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers in Chiang Mai, Thailand, from June 23 to July 5. India have been drawn in Group B, where they will face hosts Thailand, Mongolia, Timor Leste, and Iraq.
India Gazette
18-05-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
Sunil Chhetri's visit lights up Blue Tigresses camp
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 18 (ANI): The Blue Tigresses had a special visitor at their camp in Bengaluru - senior men's national team captain Sunil Chhetri, as per the AIFF official website. The Blue Tigers forward had some encouraging words for the women's team as they prepare for the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers, to be held next month. The Blue Tigresses also presented Chhetri with an India kit signed by all the team members. The senior women's national team, coached by Crispin Chettri, are currently training at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru, and will also play two FIFA Women's International Friendlies against Uzbekistan on May 29 and June 3, in the city. While this was not the first time that Chhetri visited the women's team, he expressed his surprise at the number of new faces he saw at the camp. 'It was an amazing experience. There aren't too many old faces left from the last time I met this team, which just tells you how old I've become. There are a lot of youngsters, and I got very good feedback from the head coach about them,' said Chhetri, as quoted on the AIFF official website. 'There are a lot of youngsters, and I got very good feedback from the head coach about them. Everyone looked happy and chirpy. They've got some good friendlies coming up against Uzbekistan and then the Asian Cup Qualifiers, and I wish them the very best. I just want them to be happy, feel comfortable together, and enjoy their training,' the striker added. The Blue Tigresses, clubbed in Group B, will begin their AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 qualifying campaign on June 23 against Mongolia in Chiang Mai, Thailand, following which, they play Timor-Leste (June 29), Iraq (July 2), and hosts Thailand (July 5). (ANI)
News18
18-05-2025
- Sport
- News18
Sunil Chhetri Visits Women's Team At National Camp Before AFC Qualifiers
Last Updated: Sunil Chhetri visited the women's national football camp, encouraging them for the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers. Senior men's national football team captain Sunil Chhetri has visited the women's national camp here and the team also presented the forward with an India kit signed by all the team members. Chhetri had some encouraging words for the women's team as they prepare for the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers, to be held next month. The senior women's national team, coached by Crispin Chettri, is currently training at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru, and will also play two FIFA Women's International Friendlies against Uzbekistan on May 29 and June 3, in the city. While this was not the first time that Chhetri paid a visit to the women's team, he expressed his surprise at the number of new faces he saw at the camp. 'It was an amazing experience. There aren't too many old faces left from the last time I met this team, which just tells you how old I've become. There are a lot of youngsters, and I got a very good feedback from the head coach about them," said Chhetri. 'Everyone looked happy and chirpy. They've got some good friendlies coming up against Uzbekistan and then the Asian Cup Qualifiers, and I wish them the very best. I just want them to be happy, feel comfortable together, and enjoy their training," he said. The Indian women's team, clubbed in Group B, will begin their AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 qualifying campaign on June 23 against Mongolia in Chiang Mai, Thailand, following which, they play Timor-Leste (June 29), Iraq (July 2), and hosts Thailand (July 5). Chhetri, India's most prolific goalscorer, came out of international retirement in March to play in the international friendly against Maldives (March 19), followed by the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers against Bangladesh (March 25). First Published: May 18, 2025, 15:12 IST
Hans India
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
Sunil Chhetri visits women's national camp in Bengaluru ahead of international friendlies
Senior men's national football team captain Sunil Chhetri has visited the women's national camp here and the team also presented the forward with an India kit signed by all the team members. Chhetri had some encouraging words for the women's team as they prepare for the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers, to be held next month. The senior women's national team, coached by Crispin Chettri, is currently training at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru, and will also play two FIFA Women's International Friendlies against Uzbekistan on May 29 and June 3, in the city. While this was not the first time that Chhetri paid a visit to the women's team, he expressed his surprise at the number of new faces he saw at the camp. 'It was an amazing experience. There aren't too many old faces left from the last time I met this team, which just tells you how old I've become. There are a lot of youngsters, and I got a very good feedback from the head coach about them," said Chhetri. 'Everyone looked happy and chirpy. They've got some good friendlies coming up against Uzbekistan and then the Asian Cup Qualifiers, and I wish them the very best. I just want them to be happy, feel comfortable together, and enjoy their training," he said. The Indian women's team, clubbed in Group B, will begin their AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 qualifying campaign on June 23 against Mongolia in Chiang Mai, Thailand, following which, they play Timor-Leste (June 29), Iraq (July 2), and hosts Thailand (July 5). Chhetri, India's most prolific goalscorer, came out of international retirement in March to play in the international friendly against Maldives (March 19), followed by the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers against Bangladesh (March 25).
Reuters
27-02-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Sydney to host 2026 Women's Asian Cup final
MELBOURNE, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Sydney's Stadium Australia will host the final of the 2026 Women's Asian Cup on March 21 along with a semi-final and two quarter-finals, organisers said on Thursday. The other semi-final and quarter-finals will be played at Perth Stadium, where hosts Australia kick off the 12-team tournament on March 1. More than 60% of tickets for the event will be for matches at Sydney venues while the Gold Coast, the third of the three host cities, will host only group-stage matches. Governing body Football Australia is banking on big crowds for Australia's matches following the huge attendances at the 2023 Women's World Cup. Australia's Matildas reached the semi-finals of the global showpiece co-hosted with New Zealand. "Following the success of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, Australia will once again come together to support and celebrate women's sport as we host the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026," sport minister Anika Wells said in a statement on Thursday. Four nations have qualified directly -- Australia as hosts, and defending champions China, South Korea and Japan as the top three finishers at the 2022 Asian Cup in India. Qualifiers will be held in June and July to determine the other eight nations. The draw will be confirmed by August.
