Afc u16 championship

King Abdullah Sports City Pitch: India begin their fourth continental campaign of the year on Wednesday when they face Australia in the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2026, at the King Abdullah Sports City Pitch C.

The Blue Colts have been clubbed in Group D alongside Australia and Uzbekistan, as DPR Korea, who were supposed to be the fourth team in the group, pulled out of the tournament just a few days ago.

India head coach Bibiano Fernandes is no stranger to the continental competition at this age group, having previously led the team to the AFC U16 Championship 2018 and the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2023. In between, India had qualified for the AFC U16 Championship 2020 as well, though the edition was called off due to the onset of the pandemic. While he has had different experiences, Fernandes’ approach remains unchanged.