India Name Preliminary Squad for SAFF Women’s Championship 2026 as Crispin Chettri Begins New Era

India have officially begun preparations for the SAFF Women’s Championship 2026 after head coach Crispin Chettri announced a 26-member preliminary squad for the regional tournament scheduled to be held in Goa from May 25 to June 6.

The tournament marks an important phase for Indian women’s football, not only because the Blue Tigresses will be playing at home, but also because the competition arrives during a transitional period for the national side under newly appointed coach Crispin Chettri.

India, record five-time champions of the SAFF Women’s Championship, will once again enter the tournament carrying expectations despite Bangladesh winning the previous two editions in 2022 and 2024.

The Blue Tigresses have historically dominated women’s football in South Asia. India won the first five editions of the SAFF Women’s Championship in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2019, establishing themselves as the region’s strongest women’s football nation for nearly a decade.

However, the landscape has shifted in recent years. Bangladesh’s emergence as a serious regional force has altered the balance of power, with the defending champions now entering the tournament as genuine title contenders once again. That makes this year’s competition particularly significant for India, especially with the tournament being hosted on home soil.

This will be only the second time India hosts the SAFF Women’s Championship after the 2016 edition in Siliguri, where the Blue Tigresses lifted the trophy in front of home fans. Goa, meanwhile, continues strengthening its status as one of Indian football’s most important hosting centres. The Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Margao will host all matches of the tournament.

Crispin Chettri’s preliminary squad reflects a blend of experienced internationals and emerging domestic talent. One of the biggest names remains Manisha Kalyan, currently playing club football in Peru for Alianza Lima. Widely regarded as India’s most technically gifted women’s footballer, Manisha’s eventual arrival could significantly strengthen India’s attacking quality.

However, due to club commitments, she will only join the squad after the FIFA international window officially opens on June 1. Another overseas-based player, Aveka Singh of Danish club Næstved HG, is also expected to join the camp later this week. The squad otherwise largely features players who recently completed the Indian Women’s League season, with East Bengal players arriving slightly later due to commitments in the Calcutta Women’s Football League.

India’s midfield unit looks particularly balanced. Experienced players like Sangita Basfore, Priyangka Devi Naorem, and Shilky Devi Hemam provide technical stability and creativity, while Sanfida Nongrum and Jasoda Munda add energy and defensive work rate. The midfield battle could become decisive against Bangladesh, whose physical pressing structure has troubled India during recent SAFF tournaments.

Crispin Chettri’s tactical approach will likely focus heavily on improving India’s midfield control and ball progression under pressure areas where the team struggled during recent international competitions.

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The attacking department also offers several intriguing combinations. Grace Dangmei remains one of India’s most explosive wide attackers, while Pyari Xaxa continues to provide physical presence and goal-scoring instinct inside the penalty area.Karishma Shirvoikar, Lynda Kom Serto, Soumya Guguloth, and Malavika P further strengthen the frontline with pace and direct attacking movement. Once Manisha Kalyan joins the squad, India’s attacking unit will immediately become significantly more dynamic.

Her ability to operate between defensive lines and carry the ball forward under pressure gives India an attacking dimension few teams in the region possess.

India have been placed in Group B alongside Bangladesh and Maldives. The Blue Tigresses open their campaign against Maldives on May 25 before facing Bangladesh in what is expected to be the group’s decisive clash on May 31. Bangladesh’s recent dominance makes that encounter one of the most anticipated fixtures of the tournament.

The Bangladesh women’s team has improved dramatically over recent years through structured youth development and continuity within the senior squad. Their pressing intensity and defensive organisation helped them dethrone India during the last two editions. For India, therefore, the match carries both sporting and symbolic importance.

Group A consists of Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semifinals.

This tournament also marks one of the first major assignments for Crispin Chettri as head coach. A respected figure within Indian football circles, Chettri now faces the challenge of rebuilding India’s dominance at regional level while simultaneously preparing the squad for tougher Asian competitions in the future. The preliminary squad selection suggests an attempt to create balance between continuity and gradual transition. Several senior names remain, but there is also clear emphasis on integrating younger domestic performers who impressed in the Indian Women’s League.

India’s Preliminary Squad for SAFF Women’s Championship 2026

Goalkeepers: Panthoi Chanu Elangbam, Ribansi Jamu, Shreya Hooda

Defenders: Astam Oraon, Juli Kishan, Nirmala Devi Phanjoubam, Purnima Kumari, Ranjana Chanu Sorokhaibam, Sarita Yumnam, Shubhangi Singh, Thoibisana Chanu Toijam

Midfielders: Aveka Singh, Jasoda Munda, Priyadharshini Selladurai, Priyangka Devi Naorem, Sanfida Nongrum, Sangita Basfore, Shilky Devi Hemam

Forwards: Grace Dangmei, Karishma Shirvoikar, Lynda Kom Serto, Malavika P, Manisha Kalyan, Pyari Xaxa, Rimpa Haldar, Soumya Guguloth