Tashkent, August 31: India’s U-20 men’s football team will kick off its AFC U-20 Asian Cup Qualifiers campaign against Syria on Monday. The match will take place at the Dustlik Stadium in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
India is placed in ‘Group B’ alongside host Uzbekistan and Bangladesh. This marks India’s return to the AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualifiers for the first time since 2006. The ‘Blue Colts’ previously won the title jointly with Iran in 1974 but have failed to qualify for the tournament in the last two decades.
Syria is a team that the ‘Blue Colts’ have faced only twice in competitive football at this level. Both encounters occurred during the AFC Youth Championship (U-19), where India lost 1-0 in 1996 and 2-1 in 2004.
Coached by Arno Buitenweg from the Netherlands, Syria presents a formidable challenge. India understands that there is little room for error in this group featuring Uzbekistan and Bangladesh.
Syria enters the qualifiers with a strong historical background, having won the AFC U-19 Championship in 1994. They have regularly participated in recent tournaments and qualified for the last two AFC U-20 Asian Cups.
With only the group winners and the seven best runners-up from all eight groups qualifying for the Asian Cup, the opening match against Syria is a crucial first step for head coach Mahesh Gawli and his team.
In the previous edition, India came very close to qualifying. In the 2025 qualifiers, the ‘Blue Colts’ missed out on being the best runner-up due to goal difference. The current squad includes only one player from that batch, defender Malemangamba Singh Thokchom, born in 2007.
The team has had ample preparation time for this campaign. Trials began in June, followed by continuous training camps, allowing the coaching staff to assess players and develop strategic plans. In August, India also played four international friendly matches, winning twice against Singapore (3-0 and 1-0), drawing 0-0 with Yemen, and securing a 1-0 victory against another West Asian team.
India arrived in Tashkent on August 27, giving the team several days to acclimatize before their first match. The ‘Blue Colts’ have conducted two training sessions on August 28 and 29, with their final session scheduled for Sunday evening before the match.
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