Bibiano Fernandes Interview | ‘We Will Not Be Defending’: India To Push For World Cup Spot At AFC U-17 Asian Cup 2026

India will kick off their campaign in the AFC U-17 Asian Cup 2026 on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. The 21st edition of the tournament will be hosted in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with the final scheduled for May 22.

The Blue Colts have been drawn in Group D with defending champions Uzbekistan and Australia. India will open their campaign against Australia on Wednesday before facing Uzbekistan on May 10. Both matches will be played at the King Abdullah Sports City Training Stadium in Jeddah.

Despite a tough road ahead, head coach Bibiano Fernandes is clear about the team’s ambition: to qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2026 in Qatar. The top two teams from the four groups will qualify for the global tournament.

“The goal is there to qualify for the World Cup,” Fernandes told Outlook India. “And from the very first match, we are going to go for that objective.”

The team will draw motivation from their qualification journey. They were pitted in one of the toughest groups, which also included Asian powerhouses like Iran, Lebanon, and Palestine. India stunned their much-fancied opponents, topping the group with two wins in four games, including a 2-1 comeback win against 2008 champions Iran.

“We are not going to wait for the last game. Against Australia, we are going to go there and give everything to win,” Fernandes said. “If we can do that against Iran, which is one of the best teams in Asia, and if we can do it in the friendlies we have played, then every game we play, we go to win.”

“We are going to do that because we have two chances against Australia and Uzbekistan. We are going to take every chance to win the game.”

The North Korea Factor

One of the biggest news stories before the start of the tournament was the withdrawal of North Korea. The two-time champions pulled out of the event, reportedly due to concerns over the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

This is a double-edged sword for India. While it certainly removes a strong title contender from the tournament, it also reduces the margin for error in what is now a two-team group. The head coach, however, admits that the team will proceed as planned, despite the schedule change.

“The plan will not change,” he said. “We look at it as positive that with one win, we are almost there. Also, there is less margin for error. We are aware of that… but we are looking (at it) in a positive way. If we get one win, we are already there.”

Fernandes is not worried about the fallout of the Iran-US war affecting his team’s preparation in Saudi Arabia. For him, the only thing that matters is performing on the pitch.

Brains Over Brawn

All said and done, the young Indian team will have to put in the performances of their lifetime in order to get past Australia and Uzbekistan. The Joeys are three-time semi-finalists and 10-time OFC champions. Uzbekistan, meanwhile, are the reigning title holders, having won previously in 2012.

Other than boasting a supremely talented bunch of players, both sides will also offer a physical challenge that will test India. Bibiano Fernandes is quick to acknowledge the physical disparity, but hopes that India’s technical style would give them the edge.

“The physicality is there, but our boys are more technical,” Fernandes said. “If you can pass the ball and move it, then physicality doesn't matter as much. We are aware of it and have been planning how to play against Australia and Uzbekistan.”

“I think our boys are strong enough to compete against Australia. They might be from much more developed countries, but we have to deliver a performance like how we did against Iran.”

Much of India’s confidence comes from their rigorous preparation. Since securing qualification, they have jetted around the world, playing against a diverse array of sides, and have won friendlies against Tajikistan, Myanmar, Indonesia, and the UAE, while also securing draws against Thailand and Qatar.

“The exposure we got before the qualifiers, like the SAFF Championship and playing China, helped (us qualify for the Asian Cup). Beating China in China gave the boys confidence,” Fernandes said. “The most important thing is the belief. We have to start believing in ourselves.”

“Look at the results we got against Turkey, Tajikistan in India, the UAE, Indonesia, South Korea, Thailand, and Qatar. Every country has a different way of playing, but we had a very good experience playing all these teams,” he added. “Because we worked hard in the training sessions, getting this kind of exposure gives us the belief to deliver a (good) performance against Australia or Uzbekistan.”

One player who will be key for India’s fortunes is skipper Dallalmuon Gangte. The 15-year-old midfielder from Manipur has been a surprise goal threat for the U-17 side, scoring nine times in his last six games for the Blue Colts.

“Players like Gangte can make a difference. If he can play the way he did in the qualifiers against Iran and Palestine, we can create scoring chances,” Fernandes said. “These kinds of players make a difference in the team, and we need to develop more players like him. Every coach would be happy to have a player like Gangte.”

Playing Without Fear

Entering the tournament as one of the biggest underdogs, India have an unprecedented task in front of them. However, the head coach is clear that they will take the fight to their rivals, forcing them to play on India’s terms.

“There will be respect for the opponent, but we will not defend,” Fernandes declared. “We will not be defending and giving that kind of respect. We are going to play our style of play.”

“We are going to press, we are going to try to put the opponent under pressure and force them to make mistakes. Force them to make wrong decisions, and from there we know once we win the ball, we will transition to attack.”

Unlike the women’s team, the U-17 side is the only men’s team currently representing India in the Asian Cup. That may seem like a burden too heavy for the young players, but the head coach stresses that “there is no pressure”.

“When you do well and truly work hard from the heart, these outside factors shouldn’t matter to you,” Bibiano Fernandes said. “We have been working incredibly hard on the pitch, and whatever we have prepared, we will put into the competition.”

Come Wednesday, it will be time for the Blue Colts to show the world what our youngsters are made of. With their women’s side facing Japan the day before, it will be up to our youth side to make the nation proud on the biggest continental stage.

India at AFC U-17 Asian Cup 2026: Schedule

India vs Australia – May 6 at 9:30 PM IST

India vs Uzbekistan – May 10 at 10:30 PM IST

India at AFC U-17 Asian Cup 2026: Squad

Goalkeepers: Alok Nishad, Manashjyoti Baruah, Rajrup Sarkar.

Defenders: Abhishek Kumar Mondal, Indra Rana Magar, Korou Meitei Konthoujam, Lawmsangzuala, Lesvin Rebelo, Md Aimaan Bin, Shubham Poonia.

Midfielders: Dallalmuon Gangte, Denny Singh Wangkhem, Diamond Singh Thokchom, Moosa Ashiq Sofi, Nitishkumar Meitei Yengkhom.

Forwards: Adil Aman A, Azlaan Shah KH, Gunleiba Wangkheirakpam, Heeranganba Seram, Rahan Ahmed, Raj Singh Wahengbam, Washington Singh Ngangom, Yuvraj Kadam.

India at AFC U-17 Asian Cup 2026: Live Streaming Details

All the matches of the AFC U-17 Asian Cup 2026 will be live-streamed globally on the AFC Asian Cup YouTube channel.