India's under-17 football teams, led by coaches Pamela Conti and Bibiano Fernandes, are set to face Asia's top young talent in the upcoming Asian finals. The women's team will kick off the tournament in Suzhou, China, followed by the men's team in Saudi Arabia.
The women's team has been grouped with Australia, Japan, and Lebanon, while the men's team will face Uzbekistan and Australia after North Korea withdrew from the competition.
Qualifying for the quarter-finals will secure a berth in the men's under-17 World Cup in Qatar later this year, while the women's team will aim to make the semi-finals in Morocco. However, the teams may face distractions from the World Cup, which could impact their performance.
Conti's team has had more time to prepare, with a longer training camp and practice matches against age-specific boys' teams. Fernandes, on the other hand, is on familiar territory, having taken India to the finals four times since 2018.
The teams have had a mixed bag of results in friendlies, with some wins and losses. However, they have shown improvement and are ready to face the best of Asia.
