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India Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- India Today
Indian women's football team can qualify for FIFA World Cup: Defender Dalima Chhibber
Indian defender Dalima Chhibber believes the national women's football team is on the cusp of a breakthrough and can go on to qualify for the FIFA Women's World Cup, following their historic entry into the AFC Women's Asian Cup on Tuesday at the launch of the Subroto Cup school football tournament, where she was present as guest of honor, Dalima expressed confidence in the team's potential, praising the blend of experienced campaigners and emerging means everything to us and we have qualified because of our abilities," Dalima said. "We are heading towards a golden future. Recently, our U20 team also qualified for the Asian Cup. It is a sport that every country plays, we are taking steps in the right direction and it is a matter of time before we achieve success and qualify for the FIFA World Cup." India booked their Asian Cup berth after defeating higher-ranked Thailand 2-1 in the final qualifier last week, marking the first time the Blue Tigresses have made the tournament through the qualification route. Midfielder Sangita Basfore was the hero of the match, scoring twice in what was effectively a knockout victory also propelled India seven places up the FIFA rankings to 63rd, reflecting the strides the team has made in recent months. For Dalima, who last represented India in 2024, the achievement signals a turning point in Indian women's qualification is all the more significant given the disappointment of 2022, when the Indian team's AFC Women's Asian Cup campaign ended abruptly after a COVID-19 outbreak forced them to withdraw. That setback, Dalima said, has only strengthened the team's resolve to return and compete at the highest players such as Pyari Xaxa and Basfore leading from the front, Dalima believes India have the personnel to compete with the best in Asia and push for a place on the world stage."Qualifying for the Asian Cup is not the end goal," she noted. "It's the next step towards where we want to be - playing in the World Cup and making the country proud."The AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 will serve as a key stepping stone in that journey, offering India the platform to test themselves against Asia's elite and, potentially, secure a ticket to the FIFA Women's World Cup.- EndsTrending Reel
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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Sport
- Business Standard
Dalima Chhibber: Indian women's team is on track to qualify for World Cup
Chuffed about Indian women football team's qualification for the AFC Asian Cup, defender Dalima Chhibber on Tuesday said the side will enter the continental tournament with an aim to secure a historic berth in the FIFA World Cup. Dalima expressed confidence that the Indian team, comprising fine players like Pyari Xaxa and Sangita Basfore, can punch above its weight to script history. "It means everything to us and we have qualified because of our abilities," Dalima said during the launch of the Subroto Cup school football tournament. She attended the occasion as Guest of Honour. "We are heading towards a golden future. Recently, our U20 team also qualified for the Asian Cup. It is a sport that every country plays, we are taking steps in the right direction and it is a matter of time that we achieve success and qualify for the FIFA World Cup," Dalima added. Dalima, who plays as a defender, last appeared for India in 2024, shared her thoughts on India's historic qualification for the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026. The Indian team jumped seven places to 63rd in the latest FIFA rankings, following the landmark win over Thailand last week that fetched the country the historic berth. The Indian women's team had competed in the AFC Women's Asian Cup in 2022, but their campaign was cut short due to a COVID outbreak within the squad, forcing them to withdraw from the tournament. India got the better of higher-ranked Thailand 2-1 in the final game of the qualifiers to book a place in the continental tournament for the first time through the qualifications route. Midfielder Basfore scored twice to lead India to a memorable win in the virtual knockout game. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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First Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- First Post
'Indian women's football is headed towards bright future': Dalima Chhibber reflects on recent surge, historic Asian Cup qualification
At the curtain-raiser event for the 64th Subroto Cup, Indian footballer Dalima Chhibber reflected on the recent historic qualification for the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 and the rise of women's football in India. read more As the tournament is approaching the commencement date, a beaming curtain raiser event of the Subroto Cup was held at the Akash Officer's Mess in Delhi on August 12. Image: Special Arrangement Given that the men's team is struggling to put the Indian flag on the global stage, those who have only followed the Blue Tigers would hardly consider India a footballing nation. However, the sport has a long history in the country, ruling the landscape long before the rise of cricket. The platforms for the youngsters to showcase their mettle in the field of football were always there, and one among the most prominent of those is about to complete its 64th year of existence in 2025. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Subroto Cup, the inter-school tournament that promises to push the young raw talent to the professional avenues of the sport, is scheduled to begin on August 19, 2025. The tournament will feature Sub Junior Boys (U-15), Junior Girls (U-17), and Junior Boys (U-17) categories, and a total of 106 teams will compete in this year's edition. Besides the local teams, international participation from Nepal and Sri Lanka will also be witnessed this time. More from Football Subroto Cup 2025 trophy launched in Delhi The trophy for the upcoming Subroto Cup was held on Tuesday in Delhi in the presence of the Indian Air Force Air Marshal S Sivakumar and Indian footballer Dalima Chhibber. Air Marshal S Sivakumar VSM, Air Officer-in-Charge Administration & Vice Chairman SMSES (left), along with Indian footballer Dalima Chibber (right). On the sidelines of the event, defender Dalima, who last played for India in 2024, shared her thoughts on India's historic qualification for the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 in July this year, and what it says about the strength of Indian women's football. This is the first time that the senior Indian women's football team has . They have been drawn against Japan, Vietnam and Chinese Taipei in Group C of the tournament, which will take place in March next year. It's a golden opportunity for India as the semi-finalists will gain a direct entry into the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027 in Brazil. The losing quarter-finalists will take part in a play-off. 'India are going to be going in headstrong' Dalima is confident that the Indian football team, which includes star players like Pyari Xaxa and Sangita Basfore, will enter the Asian Cup 2026 to qualify for the World Cup. 'It means everything to us because we have qualified in our caliber on our abilities. Our dream is to reach the FIFA World Cup, and of course Asian Cup is a stepping stone towards that dream, and we are looking forward. We are prepared, and we are going to be going in headstrong, physically strong,' Dalima said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Dalima was also asked to share any advice she may have for the team, to which she said, 'The only tip is going to be to keep working hard.' However, when asked by Firstpost about giving a prediction about how India would fare in the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026, she did not give a clear answer, replying, 'I think we'll talk about that once the time comes.' India Footballer Dalima Chibber during the presser of Subroto Cup 2025. No comparison between men's, women's team While women's football has made a noteworthy stride, the men's football team, led by Sunil Chhetri, is facing a frustrating spell, being ranked 133 in the world and having only won one game in the last eight matches. Chibber was asked to draw parallels between the two sides. To which she said, 'We can't compare the men's team with the women's team but I myself have been playing for the women's football for the past 15 years. 'What we have achieved recently after 25 years of hard work, showcases the capabilities of our footballers and in what direction we are moving. We are headed towards a good future, a bright future.'
Hans India
3 days ago
- Sport
- Hans India
Subroto Cup to kick off on August 19
New Delhi: The prestigious Subroto Cup International Football Tournament will kick off its 64th edition with 106 teams, vying for top honours across three categories, Junior Boys and Girls and Sub-Junior The tournament is scheduled to be hosted across Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru from August 19 to September 25. An official announcement to this effect was made in a press event at the Akash Officer's Mess here in the national capital on Tuesday, in the presence of Air Marshal S Sivakumar VSM, Air Officer-in-Charge Administration & Vice Chairman, Subroto Mukherjee Sports Education Society (SMSES), who graced the occasion as chief guest. Indian footballer Dalima Chhibber also graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour. The Subroto Cup, hosted by Subroto Mukerjee Sports Education Society under the aegis of Air Force Sports Control Board, was first held in 1960 and was named after Air Marshal Subroto Mukerjee, who conceived the idea in order to promote sport at the grassroots level. The tournament will begin on August 19 with the Junior Girls (Under 17) category in Delhi-NCR. The Sub-Junior Boys (Under 15) category matches will be hosted in Bengaluru from September 2, while the final phase of the tournament, the Junior Boys (Under 17) category, kicks off on September 16 in Delhi-NCR. Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Air Marshal S Sivakumar VSM, Air Officer-in-Charge Administration & Vice Chairman SMSES, said, "The Indian Air Force and SMSES have been committed to make the tournament bigger and better every year, providing a platform for young kids to take the next step in their career. I congratulate all the teams who have qualified for the tournament and wish them all the very best. May they play the game in the true spirit of sportsmanship.' Indian footballer Dalima Chhibber said, 'It is an honour to be back at the Subroto Cup, where my journey started in 2011 with the first-ever Women's Under-17 tournament. This tournament gives wings to young boys and girls who have dreams at the school level and provides them with the confidence and opportunity to showcase their talent and get selected. Many players from here have joined national teams, and I hope we can all support this tournament for the betterment of the sport in the country.' Seven players shall be selected from the scouting round for advanced football training in Germany, as part of the Indian Tiger & Tigresses campaign. Besides the hallowed Ambedkar Stadium and the Tejas Football Ground, Subroto Park Football Ground and Pinto Park Football Ground in New Delhi will be the venues in the Delhi-NCR region. In Bengaluru, the matches will be played at the Air Force School, Jalahalli, the Air Force School, Yelahanka and the HQ Training Command Football Ground. The total of 106 teams participating across the three categories will represent States and Union Territories (UTs) and the different educational bodies of the country, along with teams from four foreign countries. A total of over 200 football matches are scheduled to be played across all three categories. An age determination test will be conducted for the Sub-Junior Boys category at Bengaluru to ensure fair play for all the teams participating. TG English School, Bishnupur, Manipur are the defending champions of the Junior Boys category, while Mother International School, Ranchi, Jharkhand defended their title in the Junior Girls category last year. Nongiri Presbyterian Secondary School, Meghalaya, clinched the Sub-Junior Boys title at Bengaluru in the previous edition.
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Business Standard
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Business Standard
Ambedkar Stadium set to reopen after major renovation and upgrades
After years of neglect, the iconic Ambedkar Stadium in Delhi is ready to reclaim its glory as a hub for football and community events. Once the pride of the capital's football scene, the stadium has undergone significant renovation and is now nearly ready to reopen. According to a Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) official, the last major facelift was undertaken before the 2010 Commonwealth Games, leaving much-needed repairs pending for over a decade. The stadium had fallen into disrepair, with visible damage to several structures. Spectator stands facing Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg were deteriorating, exposing iron rods, while railings and staircase windows had suffered damage over time. However, extensive work has now addressed these issues. The renovation, which cost around ₹6 crore, includes structural repairs and new facilities aimed at improving the overall experience for both players and spectators. Ambedkar Stadium gets a new look to it Notable upgrades include gender-specific changing rooms, restrooms on multiple levels, a revamped façade with aluminium louvres, a modern air-conditioned media centre, and a VIP lounge. A cafeteria is also being constructed. Gates 4 and 5 have been redesigned, and the stadium's electrical system has been modernized. The stadium is expected to be fully operational by June 15, with 95% of the renovation work already complete. The MCD has also enhanced the drainage system to prevent waterlogging and revitalized the pitch by leveling the ground and planting fresh grass. Inaugurated in 1960 as Delhi Gate Stadium and later renamed after Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the 20,000-seat arena has hosted numerous prestigious events, including matches from the 1982 Asian Games and the Nehru Cup. It was here in 2007 that India famously beat Syria 1-0 to lift the Nehru Cup. The stadium also continues to host the Subroto Cup, a key national-level junior football tournament. Besides football, Ambedkar Stadium serves as a venue for civic events such as Bal Diwas and houses some municipal offices, which operate independently of the sports facilities. With a rich history of legendary players, including Sunil Chhetri and Nigeria's Emeka Ezeugo, the stadium is poised to become a sporting landmark once again.
