After historic Asian Cup qualification, football coach Ravi Punia backs India women to seal FIFA WC berth

NEW DELHI: Football coach Ravi Kumar Punia, who is also working with Indian Women’s League side HOPS FC, is confident that after securing qualification for the AFC Women’s Asia Cup 2026 in Australia, the national team is going to qualify for the Women’s FIFA World Cup in the coming years.

Punia, who is working at the very grassroots of Indian women’s football, has coached the Dadra and Nagar Haveli team to glory at the Junior Girl’s National Football Championship (NFC) and led the Haryana senior women’s side to the runner-up spot at the 2023-34 Senior Women’s NFC.

Having spent most of his coaching career working with the talent pool in Indian women’s football, Punia spoke to IANS on how the senior women’s team scripted history and the impact of head coach Crispin Chhetri.

"They have completed the Indian Women’s League second tier. Indian Arrows qualified for the senior team with a small group of Under-17 girls. Since the IWL started, the number of matches has increased—with games in IWL and the senior nationals—giving them a solid season.