Overview
- The Blue Tigresses open against hosts Kenya at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium, with kickoff Saturday at 7:30 pm IST in the FIFA Series 2026 knockout event.
- The four-team format features Kenya, India, Australia and Malawi, with winners reaching an April 15 final and others a third-place game, in what will be India’s first women’s match in Africa.
- Head coach Crispin Chettri named a youthful 22-player squad with an average age of 22.8 as he, in his words, starts building for the future.
- Several senior regulars are out through injury or rest, and attacker Manisha remains with Peru’s Alianza Lima to fight for club minutes on her league’s schedule.
- India’s U-17s begin a three-match series against Russia in Sochi on April 11, 14 and 17 to harden for next month’s Asian Cup, with coach Pamela Conti targeting physical tests similar to facing Australia.