India U20 Men's Team Draws with Yemen in Friendly Match Ahead of AFC Qualifiers

The India U20 men's football team faced Yemen in a closed-door friendly match, ending in a 0-0 draw. This match is part of their preparation for the upcoming AFC U20 Asian Cup Qualifiers in Uzbekistan. The team has previously secured victories against Singapore and is set to depart for Tashkent soon. Their first qualifier will be against Syria on August 31. Read on for more details about their training and match schedule.

By Narendra Chaudhary Aug 20, 2026, 21:53 IST

Match Overview

On Thursday, August 20, 2026, the India U20 men's football team played to a 0-0 stalemate against Yemen in their first of two closed-door friendly matches held at the Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced that the teams will face each other again on Sunday, August 23, at 16:30 IST.

AFC U20 Asian Cup Qualifiers Preparation

The Blue Colts are gearing up for the AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers, scheduled to take place in Uzbekistan from August 31 to September 6. They are set to depart for Tashkent on August 26.

This match marked the third friendly during their training camp, following two wins against Singapore on August 3 and 6, where India secured victories of 3-0 and 1-0, respectively. In the latter match, Sumit Sharma Brahmacharimayum scored the decisive goal in the 5th minute.

Historical Context

India and Yemen have previously met at this age level only once, which resulted in a goalless draw during the AFC U19 Championship Qualifiers in 2017.

Upcoming Qualifier Schedule

After the friendly matches, the Blue Colts will head to Tashkent on August 26, allowing them to acclimatize to the local environment and gain extra training time before the qualifiers.

In the AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers, India will kick off their campaign against Syria on August 31, followed by matches against Uzbekistan on September 3 and Bangladesh on September 6.