New Delhi, August 2, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India U20 men’s football team head coach Mahesh Gawali has announced a 30-member squad for two international friendly matches against Singapore as preparations gather pace for the AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers.
The Blue Colts will take on Singapore in Bengaluru on August 3 and August 6. Both matches will be played behind closed doors at the Centre for Sports Excellence and are scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. IST.
The squad includes four goalkeepers, eight defenders, nine midfielders and nine forwards. The friendlies are expected to help the coaching staff assess combinations and finalise preparations ahead of the continental qualifiers, which begin later this month.
India’s training camp has been underway in Bengaluru at The Sports School and the Centre for Sports Excellence. More than 100 players from across the country participated in the selection trials before the final squad was announced.
India have been placed in Group B of the AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers alongside hosts Uzbekistan, Syria and Bangladesh. The team will begin its campaign against Syria on August 31, followed by matches against Uzbekistan on September 3 and Bangladesh on September 6 in Tashkent.
The qualifiers will follow a centralised single round-robin format. The eight group winners and the seven best second-placed teams will qualify for the AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027.
India enjoy a favourable record against Singapore at the youth level, having won both previous U20 meetings in AFC Youth Championship competition. The Blue Colts registered a 4-1 victory in 1966 before defeating Singapore in a penalty shootout during the quarter-finals of the 1974 edition, which India eventually won. The teams also split honours in two U19 friendlies played in Goa in 2017, with India winning the first 7-2 before Singapore claimed the second 1-0.
The support staff includes head coach Mahesh Gawali, assistant coach MG Ramachandran, goalkeeping coach Parshuram Salwadi and strength and conditioning coach Anugrah Suresh.
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