Shillong, Feb 21: Meghalaya’s Sanfida Nongrum has been named in India’s 26-member squad that will take part in AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 in Australia next month.
Sanfida was part of the Indian team that travelled to Turkey in January for several closed-door friendlies against club sides and before heading to Australia 10 days ago as India readied itself for the continental competition. She featured in several of those friendlies but they don’t count as international matches. Even getting this far, however, has meant that she has made history as no Meghalayan woman has played for the senior national team yet.
Yesterday she was officially named in the Indian squad by coach Amelia Valverde. Sanfida, known as Polly, is one of six uncapped players in the squad and is among the youngest of her team mates – she and two others are 20 years old.
Commenting on the announcement on social media, Meghalaya Football Association President Hamletson Dohling described it as a proud moment for the state and a historical moment. Addressing Sanfida directly, he added, “Your journey, hard work and belief have brought you here. You carry not just the tricolour but the hopes and dreams of so many young girls back home who now know that this stage is possible. Wishing you strength, confidence and a tournament to remember.”
Placed in Group C, the Blue Tigresses will begin their campaign against Vietnam on 4 March at the Perth Rectangular Stadium at 4:30pm India time, followed by a meeting against Japan on 7 March at the same time and venue. The last group stage match will be against Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) on 10 March at the Western Sydney Stadium at 2:30pm India time.
The top two sides from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will progress to the quarterfinals. The four quarterfinal winners will qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 in Brazil. The losing quarterfinalists will contest the playoffs for the two remaining direct spots allocated to the AFC for the World Cup. The two play-off losers will have another chance of qualifying for Brazil via a playoff tournament.
After a four-week camp in Turkey, India arrived in Perth on 11 February. Among the 26 players in the squad, eight were part of the last Asian Cup that was hosted by India in 2022 — Sweety Devi Ngangbam, Shilky Devi Hemam, Sanju Yadav, Anju Tamang, Pyari Xaxa, Grace Dangmei, Manisha Kalyan and Sowmiya Narayanasamy. However, India had to withdraw from the tournament after just one game due to a Covid-19 outbreak.
In the squad that will battle it out in Australia, there are six potential debutants who are yet to be capped for India — defenders Sarita Yumnam and Sushmita Lepcha, midfielders Jasoda Munda, Sanfida and Aveka Singh and forward Kaviya Pakkirisamy.
Grace Dangmei is the highest-capped player and top-scorer in India’s squad with 23 goals in 91 appearances. Born in 1995, Anju Tamang is the seniormost player at 30 years old. As she was in the 2022 edition, Shilky Devi Hemam is the youngest in the Indian squad, now 20 years old.
As far as club representation is concerned, East Bengal FC have the most players in India’s Asian Cup squad — eight, followed by Sethu FC with six and Sribhumi FC with four. Aveka Singh and Manisha Kalyan, who play for Næstved HG (Denmark) and Alianza Lima (Peru), respectively, are the only two players who play for clubs abroad.
A regular in the Indian Women’s League, Sanfida currently plays her club football for Garhwal United but has also appeared for Bangalore United, Sports Odisha, Sirvodem SC and the Meghalaya sub-junior girls’ team in the past. By being registered with Garhwal, she has also represented Delhi in the Senior Women’s National Football Championship.
Here in Meghalaya, Sanfida helped Laitkor to victory in the Women’s Football League 2024. And last year, playing for Misaka United, she was the Top Scorer and Player of the Tournament at the Karnataka Women’s League 2025-26.
India squad:
Goalkeepers: Panthoi Chanu Elangbam, Shreya Hooda, Sowmiya Narayanasamy
Defenders: Astam Oraon, Juli Kishan, Martina Thokchom, Nirmala Devi Phanjoubam, Sanju Yadav, Sarita Yumnam, Shilky Devi Hemam, Sushmita Lepcha, Sweety Devi Ngangbam
Midfielders: Anju Tamang, Aveka Singh, Babina Devi Lisham, Jasoda Munda, Sanfida Nongrum, Sangita Basfore
Forwards: Grace Dangmei, Kaviya Pakkirisamy, Lynda Kom Serto, Malavika P, Manisha Kalyan, Pyari Xaxa, Rimpa Haldar, Soumya Guguloth
Support staff: Amelia Valverde (head coach), Crispin Chettri (assistant coach), Priya PV (assistant coach), Eli Ávila (goalkeeping coach), Mario Aguiar (goalkeeping coach), José Sánchez (strength & conditioning coach)
