Template:Infobox national football team
The India national under-23 football team represents India in international under-23 football and is controlled by the All India Football Federation (AIFF). A member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the team is eligible to compete in the Summer Olympic Games, the AFC U-23 Asian Cup, and the Asian Games, subject to qualification.
Since only allowing under-23 sides to compete in the Olympic Games in 1992, India have never qualified for the summer games. The under-23 side have also never participated in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup while at best only making it to the round of 16 in the Asian Games.
History
Asian Games
2002 Busan Games
The under-23 side participated in their first ever tournament during the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, South Korea. They were put into a group with China, Turkmenistan, and Bangladesh. Their first match was against Bangladesh. India won 3–0 through a brace from future senior captain Baichung Bhutia and a strike from Renedy Singh. India played their second match two days later against Turkmenistan. They won 3–1. Bhutia again scored a brace while Abhishek Yadav scored the third goal as India ran out 3–1 winners. Unfortunately, in their final match against China, India could not find the net as they fell 2–0 and thus were knocked-out of the Asian Games.[1]
2006 Doha Games
During the 2006 Asian Games India were placed in a group with Iran, Hong Kong, and Maldives. In their first match against Hong Kong, India drew 1–1 with Pappachen Pradeep scoring the lone Indian goal. In their second match, India faced off against Maldives and won 2–1. Irungbam Surkumar Singh and Subhas Sumbhu Chakrobarty were the scorers for India that night. Finally, in their last match against Iran, India once again lost 2–0 and thus were once again knocked-out of the Asian Games.[2]
2010 Guangzhou Games
During the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, India were placed in a group with Qatar, Kuwait Athletes, and Singapore. India lost their first match against the Kuwait Athletes 2–0 and then lost their second match against Qatar 2–1 with the lone India goal coming from Dharmaraj Ravanan. India went on to win their final match of the group stage against Singapore 4–1. Four players scored each goal, Jewel Raja, Balwant Singh, Jibon Singh, and Manish Maithani. The victory managed to help India finish in third-place which then helped India become the best third-place team out of all the other third-placed teams and thus qualified them for the Round of 16.
In the Round of 16, India took on powerhouse Japan at the Huangpu Sports Center. India went on to lose the match 5–0 with Kensuke Nagai scoring a brace and Ryohei Yamazaki, Kazuya Yamamura, and Kota Mizunuma scoring a goal each.[3]
2014 Incheon Games
For the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, India were placed in Group G with Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. In their first match against the United Arab Emirates, India went down 5–0. Seven days later, India were defeated by Jordan 2–0 to end their Asian Games participation.[4]
2022 Hangzhou Games
At the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, India were placed in Group A with China, Myanmar and the Bangladesh. In the first match China defeated India 1–5.[5] India won their next Match against Bangladesh 1–0 and played out a 1–1 draw with Myanmar.[6][7] But in the Round of 16 they lost against Saudi Arabia 0–2.[8]
Other tournaments
2009 SAFF Championship
Before the 2009 SAFF Championship in Bangladesh, it was announced that India would send the under-23 side to the tournament.[9] India were placed in Group A with Afghanistan, Maldives, and Nepal. In their first match against Afghanistan, India won 1–0 through Jeje Lalpekhlua.[10] In their next match against Nepal, a Sushil Kumar Singh goal was the difference as India won again 1–0.[11] Despite losing the last match of the group stage to Maldives 2–0 India were still through to the semi-finals.
India defeated Bangladesh in the semi-finals 1–0 through Sushil Kumar Singh.[12] Finally, in the final against Maldives, India won through penalties 3–1 after finishing extra-time with the score at 0–0 to win the championship.[13]
Results and fixtures
For past match results of the national team, see the team's results page.
Matches in the last 12 months, and future scheduled matches
- Legend
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2025
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2026
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Coaching staff
The current coaching staff of the team are:[14]
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Template:Flagicon Naushad Moosa |
| Assistant coach | Template:Flagicon Noel Wilson |
| Goalkeeping coach | Template:Flagicon Gumpe Rime |
Players
The following 24 players were called up for the 2026 Tri-Nation Series in March 2026.[14]
Caps and goals are correct as of 28 March 2026, after the match against Bhutan.
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Recent callups
The following footballers were part of national selection in the past twelve months, but are not part of the current call-up.
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- INJ Player injuries
- PRE Preliminary squad / standby
- OTH Player withdrew from squad due to non-injury issue
Past squads
Asian Games
Competitive record
Summer Olympics
Template:Main From 1908 to 1988, football at the Olympics was played by senior national teams.[15] and between these years India national football team competed at all Games from 1948 to 1960.[15] From 1992, FIFA allowed only U-23 national teams to play the tournament at the Olympics.[15] Though U-23 players were allowed, the qualifying matches of 1992 Olympics to 2012 Olympics were played by the Senior national team of India but failed to qualify to the Olympics finals from 1992 to 2012. AFC started AFC U-23 Championship from 2013 which is now acted as the qualifying tournament for the Olympics for the Asian countries, where top three teams are allowed entry to Olympic finals.[16] India is yet to qualify for the AFC U-23 Championship and thus also at Olympics since then.
| [[Football at the Summer Olympics|Template:Color | [[India national football team at the Olympics|Template:Color | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Host/Year | Result | Position | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | |
| 1908−1988 | See India national football team | See India national football team | |||||||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 1992 | Did not qualify | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 7 | ||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 1996 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 7 | |||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2000 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2004 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2008 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 13 | |||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2012 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | |||||||||
| Since 2016, AFC U-23 Championship acted as the AFC qualifier (top 3 finishers) | |||||||||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2016 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify 2016 AFC U-23 | |||||||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2020 | Did not qualify 2020 AFC U-23 | ||||||||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2024 | Did not qualify 2024 AFC U-23 | ||||||||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2028 | To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||
| Total | 0/8 | 0 Titles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 20 | 37 | |
AFC U-23 Asian Cup
AFC U-23 Asian Cup was initially set to be held as AFC U-22 Championships in 2013 and its qualification matches in 2012, but the finals tournament was postponed to be played in January 2014.[17][18] Till now, six championships held, in 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024.[19] However, India failed to qualify to any of the championships.[20][21]
| [[AFC U-23 Asian Cup|Template:Color | [[AFC U-23 Asian Cup|Template:Color | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Position | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | |
| Template:Flagicon 2014 | Did not qualify | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 10 | ||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2016 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | |||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2018 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2020 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | |||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2022 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2024 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | |||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2026 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 2 | |||||||||
| Total | 0/7 | 0 Titles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 6 | 3 | 12 | 26 | 34 | |
Asian Games
From 1951 to 1998 India competed in eleven Asian Games except the 1990 and the 1994 editions, and was competed by the senior national team. As the turn of the century, Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) changed the rules of participation of players in the Asian Games. Since the Football at the 2002 Asian Games, the age of the players is limited to 23 years while three over–aged players are allowed among each squad, similar to the rules for participation at the Summer Olympics.[22][23][24][25] Though the senior team won the 1951 and the 1962 gold medal, and a bronze at the 1970 Asian Games but the India U-23 team has yet to win a medal at the Asian Games football tournament.[26][27]
| [[Football at the Asian Games|Template:Color | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Host/Year | Result | Position | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Squad | Template:Abbr |
| 1951 – 1998 | See India national football team | |||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2002 | Group stage | 10th of 24 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | Squad | [28] |
| Template:Flagicon 2006 | Group stage | 14th of 28 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | Squad | [29] |
| Template:Flagicon 2010 | Round of 16 | 14th of 28 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 10 | Squad | [30] |
| Template:Flagicon 2014 | Group stage | 26th of 32 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | Squad | [31] |
| Template:Flagicon 2018 | Indian Olympic Association did not allow team's participation[32] | [33] | ||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2022 | Round of 16 | 9th of 21 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | Squad | [34] |
| Template:Flagicon 2026 | To be decided | |||||||||
| Total | 5/6 | 0 Titles | 16 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 17 | 32 | — | — |
SAFF Championship
First time an Indian under-23 team participated in any championship organised by SAFF was in 2009. For the 2009 SAFF Championship, AIFF decided to send the under-23 team instead of the senior national team.[35] Despite the underage team, India won the championship after beating the Maldives in the final.[36][37]
In January 2025, SAFF announced the inaugural U-23 Championship, which will begin in 2026.[38][39]
| SAFF Championship record ([[SAFF Championship|Template:Color & [[SAFF U-23 Championship|Template:Color) | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Host/Year | Result | Position | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Squad | Template:Abbr |
| In the senior championship | ||||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2009 | Champions | 1st | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | Squad | [37] |
| In the under-23 championship | ||||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2026 | To be determined | Squad | ||||||||
| Total | 1 | 1 Title | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | — | |
South Asian Games
| [[Football at the South Asian Games|Template:Color | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Position | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr |
| 1984–1999 | See India national football team | [40] | |||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2004 | Played by India national under-20 football team | [41] | |||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2006 | [42] | ||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2010 | [43] | ||||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2016 | Runners–up | 2nd | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 5 | [44] |
| Template:Flagicon 2019 | Did not participate | [45] | |||||||
| Template:Flagicon 2027 | To be determined | ||||||||
| Total | 1 Edition | 0 Title | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 5 | — |
Overall competitive records
Template:Updated (excluding friendlies & minor tournaments)
| Competition | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer Olympics | ||||||||
| Asian Games | ||||||||
| South Asian Games | ||||||||
| AFC Olympic qualifiers | ||||||||
| AFC U-23 Asian Cup | ||||||||
| AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qualification | ||||||||
| SAFF U-23 Championship | ||||||||
| Total |
Head-to-head record
Template:Updated (excluding friendlies & minor tournaments) The following table shows India's head-to-head record in the official tournaments of Asian Games, South Asian Games, AFC U-23 Asian Cup (including qualifiers) and SAFF U-23 Championship.
Template:Legend2 Template:Legend2 Template:Legend2
Honours
- LG Cup
- SAFF Championship
- Winners (1): 2009
- South Asian Games
- Silver medal (1): 2016
See also
- Football in India
- India national football team
- India women's national football team
- India national under-20 football team
- India national under-17 football team
- Sport in India
References
- ↑ Asian Games 2002 (South Korea). Retrieved 26 May 2014.
- ↑ Asian Games 2006 (Qatar). Retrieved 26 May 2014.
- ↑ 2010 Asian Games. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
- ↑ 2014 Asian Games. RSSSF. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
- ↑ India vs China football highlights, Asian Games 2023: IND 1-5 CHN, Sunil Chhetri and Co. slump to loss in opener(19 September 2023). Retrieved 13 May 2024.
- ↑ India 1-0 Bangladesh football HIGHLIGHTS, Asian Games: Sunil Chhetri scores as India beats Bangladesh to keep R-16 qualification hopes alive(21 September 2023). Retrieved 13 May 2024.
- ↑ Hangzhou Asian Games: India play out 1-1 draw with Myanmar, enter round of 16 in men's football(24 September 2023). Retrieved 13 May 2024.
- ↑ Indian football team crashes out of Asian Games after 0-2 defeat against Saudi Arabia. The Times of India(28 September 2023). Retrieved 13 May 2024.
- ↑ SAFF Cup Comment: India U-23, Not India, Signal Better Times For Indian Football. Goal.com(15 December 2009). Retrieved 4 July 2017.
- ↑ India 1 - 0 Afghanistan: Jeje's winner. Maldives Soccer(5 December 2009). Retrieved 4 July 2017.
- ↑ India 1 – 0 Nepal: India into semi final. Maldives Soccer(7 December 2009). Retrieved 4 July 2017.
- ↑ Bangladesh 0 - 1 India: Hosts crash out. Maldives Soccer(11 December 2009). Retrieved 4 July 2017.
- ↑ Maldives 0 - 0 India: India wins on penalties. Maldives Soccer(13 December 2009). Retrieved 4 July 2017.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Nausad Moosa names India U23 men's squad for Tri-Nation friendlies in Yupia. AIFF(22 March 2026).
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 FIFA FACTS of Olympics. www.fifa.com. FIFA. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
- ↑ Qualification system – Games of the XXXI Olympiad – Rio 2016 – Football. Rio 2016 Official Website(23 April 2014). Retrieved 10 January 2019.
- ↑ Call to improve AFC competitions. Asian Football Confederation(27 July 2011). Retrieved 10 January 2019.
- ↑ Competitions Committee takes key decisions. Asian Football Confederation(22 March 2012). Retrieved 10 January 2019.
- ↑ Asian U-23 Championship: Overview. RSSSF. Retrieved 24 August 2025.
- ↑ India thump Turkmenistan in AFC U-23 Championship qualifiers. hindustantimes.com. Hindustan Times(23 July 2017). Retrieved 9 January 2019.
- ↑ AFC U23 Asian Cup 2024 qualifiers: Indian football team's campaign ends, finishes third in group - all results, scores. Olympics.com(12 September 2023). Retrieved 24 August 2025.
- ↑ Sports : List of disciples (Football). ocasia.org. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
- ↑ PFF chief names Akhtar as head coach of Asian Games team. The Nation(29 August 2010). Retrieved 14 June 2023.
- ↑ FIFA Facts. FIFA. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
- ↑ Barcelona 1992: Technical Report, Olympic football tournament{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. FIFA(8 August 1992)
- ↑ Indian football at the Asian Games: A glorious start that faded away. olympics.com(12 February 2023). Retrieved 18 July 2023.
- ↑ Asian Games (Overview), Stokkermans, Karel(12 July 2017). Retrieved 6 September 2018.
- ↑ Asian Games 2002 (South Korea)(23 November 2006). Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- ↑ Asian Games 2006 (Qatar)(4 September 2014). Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- ↑ Asian Games 2002 (Guangzhou), Zlotkowski, Andre(29 October 2014). Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- ↑ Asian Games 2014 (Incheon), Zlotkowski, Andre(6 September 2018). Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- ↑ Indian Olympic Association decides against sending Indian football team to the Asian Games(2 July 2018). Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- ↑ Asian Games 2018 (Indonesia), Di Maggio, Roberto(6 September 2018). Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- ↑ Asian Games 2023 (China). RSSSF(27 October 2023). Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ↑ SAFF Cup Comment: India U-23, Not India, Signal Better Times For Indian Football. Goal.com(15 December 2009). Retrieved 4 July 2017.
- ↑ Maldives 0 - 0 India: India wins on penalties. Maldives Soccer(13 December 2009). Retrieved 4 July 2017.
- ↑ 37.0 37.1 South Asian Gold Cup 2009 (Dhaka). RSSSF(2 May 2013). Retrieved 31 January 2026.
- ↑ June’s SAFF Championship to feature home-and-away fixtures. The Daily Star (Bangladesh)(8 January 2025). Retrieved 31 January 2026.
- ↑ ক্লাব টুর্নামেন্ট আয়োজনসহ নতুন উদ্যোগ সাফের. Dhaka Post(8 January 2025). Retrieved 31 January 2026.
- ↑ South Asian Federation Games. RSSSF(12 December 2019). Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ↑ 9th South Asian Federation Games 2004 (Pakistan). RSSSF(25 June 2006). Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ↑ 10th South Asian Federation Games 2006 (Colombo). RSSSF(19 February 2010). Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ↑ 11th South Asian Federation Games 2010 (Bangladesh). RSSSF(18 February 2016). Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ↑ 12th South Asian Federation Games 2016 (India). RSSSF(12 December 2019). Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ↑ 13th South Asian Federation Games 2019 (Nepal). RSSSF(12 December 2019). Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ↑ India beat Vietnam to win LG Cup football. The Times of India(10 August 2002). Retrieved 1 October 2021.
External links
Template:India national football team Template:Football in India Template:AFC under-23 teams Template:National sports teams of India