India and Wadoo look to begin on a high at AFC U-17 Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers
India’s under-17 side (in orange) played a draw and a win against the UAE and will look to continue its momentum in the qualifiers in Malaysia. | Photo Credit: X/@UAEFNT
India’s under-17 side (in orange) played a draw and a win against the UAE and will look to continue its momentum in the qualifiers in Malaysia. | Photo Credit: X/@UAEFNT
The India under-17 men’s team will begin its AFC U17 Asian Cup Uzbekistan 2027 Qualifiers Group E campaign against Singapore at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium here on.
The Blue Colts are aiming to secure back-to-back AFC U17 Asian Cup appearances and qualify for the tournament for the 11th time in their history.
Host Malaysia, Palestine and Guam are the other teams in the fray, and only the group winner will progress to the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2027, scheduled to be held in Uzbekistan from May 12 to 29, 2027.
Among the five teams in Group E, India is the only side to have qualified for the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup. The Blue Colts bowed out of the group stage after defeats to Australia and Uzbekistan.
The Blue Colts will head into the Qualifiers following an extensive preparation period led by the newly-appointed head coach, Mehrajuddin Wadoo. The team began its preparatory camp in Goa in September, where over 100 players were assessed during a month-long selection process before the final 23-member squad was selected ahead of the Qualifiers.
Wadoo’s side travelled to Myanmar in early October, where it played two friendlies against the host, drawing 1-1 in the first before securing a 4-0 victory in the second.
Assessing the squad’s progress, Wadoo said, “Playing friendly matches before a tournament is always important, and the experience was valuable for us. The boys have shown good progress, and I am happy with the way the team is developing.”
The Blue Colts then travelled to the United Arab Emirates to play two more friendly matches against the hosts earlier this month. The first one ended goalless before India won 4-1 in the second to round off their preparations.
For Wadoo, the Qualifiers also mark his first campaign at the helm of the national team. Having previously represented India as a player, he now looks forward to serving the nation in a new capacity.
“Having represented India as a player, getting the opportunity to serve the country as a coach is a tremendous honour and privilege. I am proud and happy to lead this group of young players. We have worked hard, and our focus is clear. We want to give our best, compete with confidence and achieve our ultimate target: qualifying for the AFC U17 Asian Cup,” he said.
After Singapore, India will face Guam on November 14, Palestine on November 17 and host Malaysia on November 20 in its remaining Group E fixtures.
Published on Nov 10, 2026
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