Key Takeaways
- Naushad Moosa has been appointed as the head coach of the India U-23 men’s national team, preparing for the Asian Games 2026 and AFC U23 Asian Cup.
- The team will participate in exposure matches against Tajikistan and Kyrgyz Republic in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on June 18 and June 21, respectively.
- The India U-23 men’s national team will also participate in the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers, with the draw to be held on May 29, 2025, at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
New Delhi: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has appointed Naushad Moosa
as the head coach of the India U-23 men’s national team.
Moosa will take charge of the team on June 1, 2025, when they begin their camp in Kolkata, with the long-term aim of preparing the Blue Colts for the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi and Nagoya, in Japan, in line with the plans laid out to the federation by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
While performing well in the Land of the Rising Sun remains the long-term goal, on a more immediate basis, Moosa’s team will face Tajikistan on June 18 and Kyrgyz Republic on June 21 in two exposure matches in Dushanbe, the AIFF sources said.
AIFF Deputy Secretary General Satyanarayan M said, “In discussions with Manolo Márquez, we concluded that the federation needs to develop the U23 team with more emphasis. The best of these players are all training 10 months a year, and we are thankful to the clubs for the readiness with which they are available for national team duty.”
“However, some of them are not getting much game-time, which is where we are looking to bridge the gap by playing exposure matches against other competitive international teams of the same age group, during the international windows,” he said. “We want to thank NorthEast United FC for cooperating in releasing Naushad Moosa for the international windows.”
As per the preparation plans for the Asian Games next year, the federation plans to utilise the FIFA International Windows in September, October, November, and March to arrange short training camps of around 10-14 days for the India U23s, which would also include matches against other U23 teams from around Asia, with longer camps being planned ahead of the June 2026 FIFA International Window, when there are no club matches.
Naushad Moosa, who had previously coached the India U23s in two friendly matches against Malaysia, expressed his excitement about leading the team for a second year. He emphasized the importance of building a strong foundation and the players’ commitment, stating that they will return with more experience and a few new faces who will add strength to the squad.
Later this year, the India U23s will also partake in the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers, the draw for which will be held on May 29, 2025, at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
“The June games are very important in our journey toward the Asian Games and the AFC U23 Asian Cup. This is an opportunity to assess player responses under pressure, improve our tactics, and build stronger bonds within the team. Our goal is to be fully prepared for these major tournaments by testing ourselves against strong opposition,” said Moosa.
After camping in Kolkata for a fortnight, the India U23s, on June 16, will travel to Dushanbe, Tajikistan, for the two exposure matches, and return on June 22.
