The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is expected to continue with head coach Amelia Valverde even after India’s disappointing campaign at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, AIFF officials are satisfied with the work of the Costa Rican coach during the tournament. Although the Indian women’s national team failed to secure a single point and were eliminated in the group stage, the federation believes Valverde deserves more time to develop and strengthen the squad.
Valverde’s current contract is set to expire later this month. However, the federation plans to review her performance before making a final decision regarding a possible extension.
The 39-year-old coach is expected to submit a detailed report on the team’s performance in the coming days. The report will be evaluated by the AIFF technical leadership, including technical committee chairman IM Vijayan, director of national teams Subrata Pal, and technical director Syed Sabir Pasha.
Following this assessment, the AIFF executive committee will take the final call on Valverde’s future with the national team.
Meanwhile, the Indian women’s team is scheduled to participate in a FIFA invitational tournament in Africa next month, and the federation hopes to resolve the coaching situation before the competition begins.
Discussions may also take place regarding the future of assistant coaches Crispin Chhetri and Priya PV. Valverde had brought two Costa Rican assistants during the Asian Cup campaign in Australia, though the federation has not ruled out retaining Indian coaches as part of the support staff.
The Indian squad returned home on Wednesday after the tournament. However, goalkeeper Panthoi Chanu remained in Australia after suffering a concussion during India’s 1–3 defeat to Chinese Taipei.
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