The ultimate dream for any footballing nation is to compete on the biggest stage like the World Cup, and for Indian women's football team, the dream feels closer now.

On July 5, 2025, India secured AFC Women's Asian Cup qualification with a 2-1 victory over Thailand. The sensational midfielder from Bengal, Sangita Basfore scored both the goals to seal this historic win for the nation!

This crucial win, added to their strong performances againsy Mongolia, Timor-Leste, and Iraq, marked their return to the Asian Cup after 22 years. This success has now fueled the high hopes and big dream of reaching the FIFA Women's World Cup.

Now the question is: How can Indian Women's Football team qualify for the 2027 FIFA World Cup? Let's explore the details below.

Read Also: Best 10 Women's Footballers in the World Right Now

Why does AFC Asian Cup qualification matter?

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is the regional body for football in Asia, operating under FIFA. Crucially, the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 isn't just a continental championship; it's Asia's direct qualifying tournament for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup.

For 2027, Asia gets six direct World Cup spots and two additional play-off chances. This means performing well in this tournament is absolutely vital for India's World Cup dreams.

They will have to fight for the World Cup spot against 11 nations (7 other qualifying nations from 2025, the host Australia, and the top 3 teams from the previous 2022 edition).

Teams qualified alongside India in 2025 Asian Cup qualifiers:

1. Bangladesh
2. Phillipines
3. Vietnam
4. Chinese Taipei
5. North Korea
6. Uzbekistan
7. TBD

The Top 3 teams of 2022 edition:

1. China (Champions)
2. South Korea (Runners-up)
3. Japan (Third place)

Read Also: Best Indian Football Stadiums – Ranked by Capacity

India's qualification roadmap for the 2027 FIFA World Cup

To reach the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup, India's performance at the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 is everything.

Here's how they can make it possible:

• Reach the semi-finals: This is the clearest path for qualification as all four semi-finalists in the Asian Cup will automatically be eligible to qualify for WC.
• In case they don't reach semi-finals: If India reaches the quarter-finals but loses, there's still a chance. The losing teams will play additional matches against each other for the remaining two direct World Cup spots and the two play-off berths.

In short, India must aim to be among the top six teams in the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 to have a direct shot at the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup.

The Durand Cup was first held in Shimla which was a popular retreat for the British back in the day. Sir Henry Durand was recovering from an illness in the hill station and realised the importance of physical health for soldiers in the Army.

There were several army regiments and military units that were originally involved in the tournament and it became an inter-regiment tournament essentially.

They were initially only inclined towards playing Hockey given the popularity of the sport in India at that time but football gradually picked up.

FT| #NEUFC 6-1 #DHFC

A dominating performance by #NEUFC from start to finish as the defending champions successfully retain the title.

A statement win! History Created!#NEUFCDHFC #FINAL #134thEditionofIndianOilDurandCup #PoweredBySBIandCoalIndia #DurandCup2025… pic.twitter.com/IQbAnW5tdq

— Durand Cup (@thedurandcup) August 23, 2025

The event itself was a major deal and people came from all across the country to watch the final which was a highly publicised event. It was also a great platform for Indian football clubs to defeat the British regiments which of course, rarely happened at that time.

However, events post World War II that also involved the cancellation and relocation of the tournament ushered a new era for Indian football.

The Durand Cup was later shifted to Delhi post 1940 and opened for civilian clubs and teams. This brought in the likes of Mohammedan, Salgaocar, East Bengal and all the other legendary I-League teams that have since dominated the proceedings.

It is now held under the Durand Football Tournament Society and has been the continuously held every year to attract top Indian teams and players from leagues such as the ISL, I-league and even Armed forces football teams.

The inclusion of ISL and Armed forces teams has helped expand the reach of the tournament.

Take a look at some of the winners and runner-ups of Durand Cup, one of the most popular football tournaments in India. Durand Cup has been a success for many years with all the details about the show since 2000.

Read More: https://sportzpoint.com/football/premier-league-stats-man-city-players-leading-all-charts-in-goals-assists-passes-and-clean-sheets/

Most Durand Cup Wins:

Kolkata giants East Bengal and Mohun Bagan are the most successful teams in the history of the tournament winning it a record 17 and 16 times respectively.

Royal Scouts Fusiliers were the first-ever winners and Mohammedan Sporting were the first Indian to win the competition. Bengaluru Fc are the reigning champions.

For more Durand Cup news and articles, follow Sportz Point.

East Bengal is one of Asia's biggest and most supported football clubs. In October 2020, the club was voted as the most popular football club in India on an AFC poll by its supporters.

The East Bengal Club was established on 1st August 1920 by Suresh Chandra Chaudhury along with some other dignitaries, and the club's first captain was Ramesh Chandra Sen.

The Kolkata-based club has created a lot of records and won so many trophies. The Football club was going through a tough phase as they hadn't won a major trophy since the 2013-14 season.

But, under the new Manager and coaching staff, the Red & Gold Brigade are playing good football. So, let's look at the trophies East Bengal has won in its footballing history.

East Bengal FC Trophies List

East Bengal played their first match in the 1920 Hercules Cup, which was a 7-a-side tournament that they won. They won their first-ever full tournament in 1921 and lifted the Khogendra Shield.

The Red and Gold brigade qualified for the Calcutta Football League 1st division in 1925. They won their first 1st title in 1942. Then the Kolkata-based club lifted their first IFA Shield in 1943. In 1945, East Bengal won their first double, claiming both the Calcutta Football League and the IFA Shield.

From 1949-51, East Bengal became the first team to make a hat-trick of wins in the IFA Shield. In 1972, East Bengal won the Calcutta Football League, IFA Shield, Durand Cup, and Rovers Cup in a single season, becoming the first team to do so.

In 1972, East Bengal also made a record of being the first and till date, only Indian team to win the Calcutta Football League without conceding a single goal, which they again repeated in 1991.

East Bengal won its first First Division league title in 1942 and has since won it a record 39 times. They have also won eight Federation Cups, three Super Cups, a record 29 IFA Shields, the Kuladakanta Shield, and MLA CUP, alongside 16 Durand Cup titles, making the club one of the most decorated in Indian football.

Khalid Jamil has been named as the new head coach of the Indian Men's Senior Football team, as AIFF chose him over Stephen Constantine and Stefan Tarkovic from the final list. With Jamil becoming the new boss of the Blue Tigers, we present you with the stats and history of his career as a football manager so far.

Read Also: Football facts: Five managers who have coached Club and country at the same time

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐁𝐎𝐒𝐒 🇮🇳

Khalid Jamil has been named the new head coach of the Indian Men's Senior Football team.

Stephen Constantine and Stefan Tarkovic were the other finalised names, but AIFF have gone for the Jamshedpur FC coach.#AIFF #IndianFootball #KhalidJamil pic.twitter.com/KrnxkQUB6F

— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) August 1, 2025

Khalid Jamil stats as manager

Since retiring as a professional footballer, Jamil started his managerial career with Mumbai FC in 2009. Jamil went on to coach them for 7 years until he joined Aizawl FC in December 2016. It was with Aizawl FC where his career took a turn after leading them to a miraculous I-League title in the 2016/17 season.

After the I-League success, Khalid coached two Kolkata giants, first East Bengal in the 2017-18 season and then ATK Mohun Bagan (which is now Mohun Bagan Super Giant) in the next season.

Read Also: Every Indian Team Football Coach Since 1948

However, Khalid did not get that much success with those two Kolkata clubs, and he joined Northeast United FC as the academy head in 2019. From 2019-22, Jamil served as Assistant manager, caretaker manager and then head coach of NEUFC. After that, he spent one season with Bengaluru United.

Finally, in 2023, he arrived at Jamshedpur FC, where he showed his class as the head coach and uplifted a few young Indian talents as well. Last season under him, Jamshedpur FC reached the semi-finals of the Indian Super League as well, and Khalid became the first Indian coach to achieve that feat.

His experince and understanding of Indian football is supposed to be a ground-breaking factor for the upcoming few months of Indian football.

Data by transfermarkt. 

Indian football team winger Liston Colaco scored a stunning free-kick, including a brace, to help Mohun Bagan Super Giant kick off their Durand Cup 2025 journey with a 3-1 win over Mohammedan Sporting Club ar VYBK on Thursday.

Liston's Goalzo

Coincidentally, Liston had also scored a stunning free-kick goal during the practice game between Mohun Bagan senior and Mohun Bagan junior ahead of the season opener. Just in the 21st minute of the match, Liston himself earned a free-kick after being fouled by a trio of Mohammedan defenders at the edge of the box.

Liston took the charge into his hand, in fact, on his feet as he lined up to take the free-kick, the Cristiano-way. Liston took a deep breath and then decided to go over the wall of defenders to beat Subhajit Bhattacharjee in the goal and hit the back of the net.

Beautiful free Kick from Liston Colaco pic.twitter.com/nbi6XQNhSx

— Hari (@Harii33) July 31, 2025

Read Also: East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan: Head to Head Stats [UPDATED]

What happened in the match?

After Liston's goal in the 23rd minute, Mohun Bagan faced a setback at the stroke of the half-time mark. Aupia Ralte received a red card for dissent after he was tackled by Mohammedan in the 43rd minute of the match.

Mohammedan took advantage of Mohun Bagan's one-man less defence as Ahsley Koli scored in the 50th minute to make everything level again. But Mohun Bagan, the champions of the Indian Super League, had tricks up their sleeves as Suhail Ahmed Bhat scored in the 63rd minute to restore their lead. Liston provided the assist for the Kashmiri striker.

In the dying minute of the match, Liston earned the penalty and turned it into a goal from the spot to make a near-perfect match for him and Mohun Bagan SG.

Mohammedan have now lost both of their Group B match of the Durand Cup 2025.

The UEFA European Women's Championship, also called the UEFA Women's Euro, is the primary association football competition between the senior women’s national teams from Europe, held every four years. 

England beat Spain on penalties to clinch the Women’s EURO 2025 title at St. Jakob Park in Basel, Switzerland. This is England’s second European title, following its win over Germany in the previous edition. Let's have a look at the UEFA Women's EURO past winners and most successful teams.

Also Read: Who is Tobin Heath? Two-time World Cup champion retires from football

UEFA Women's EURO | First Edition Winner

The first edition of the tournament was played in 1984 in a very different format, with no host nation and just four teams participating. England and Sweden met in the final, played over two legs on a home and away basis.

It ended 1-1 on aggregate, leading to a penalty shootout at Kenilworth Road in London. In true English fashion, the home side would miss twice, allowing Sweden to win 4-3 on penalties and win the first ever women's Euros.

2025 Women's Euros Winner

England successfully defended its Women’s European Championship title by beating world champion Spain in a shootout in the final in Basel, Switzerland.

It was back-to-back European trophies for England and yet another final that Kelly had a huge impact on, after also coming on as a substitute during the Euro 2022 trophy match and scoring the winner against Germany in extra time to clinch a 2-1 victory.

UEFA Women's EURO | Past Winners

Also Read: How can Indian Women's Football team qualify for the 2027 FIFA World Cup?

UEFA Women's EURO | Most Successful Teams

Germany are the most successful team in women's Euros history, having won eight tournaments, including six in a row between 1995-2013. Overall, five different countries have won the women's Euros, but Germany and Norway remain the only winners of more than one edition of the tournament.

• Germany: 8 (1989, 1991, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2013)
• Norway: 2 (1987, 1993)
• Sweden: 1 (1984)
• Netherlands: 1 (2017)
• England: 1 (2022)