Indian U20 Men's Team Set for Friendlies Against Yemen Ahead of AFC Qualifiers

The Indian U20 men's football team is gearing up for two friendly matches against Yemen in Bengaluru on August 20 and 23. These matches are crucial for their preparation for the AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers. Following these encounters, the team will travel to Tashkent to acclimatize before their first qualifier against Syria on August 31. With a strong performance in previous friendlies against Singapore, the Blue Colts are looking to build momentum ahead of the tournament.

By Narendra Chaudhary Aug 16, 2026, 21:38 IST

Upcoming Friendly Matches

The Indian U20 men's football team is scheduled to compete in two friendly matches against Yemen at the Centre for Sports Excellence located in Bengaluru on August 20 and 23. These matches are part of their preparation for the AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers. Both games will commence at 16:30 and will take place without spectators.

Previous Matches and Performance

These matches will mark the third and fourth friendlies for the Blue Colts during their training camp. They previously secured two wins against Singapore at the same venue on August 3 and 6, achieving scores of 3-0 and 1-0, respectively, according to the official AIFF website.

Historical Context

In their past encounters, India and Yemen have faced each other only once at this age level, which resulted in a goalless draw during the AFC U19 Championship Qualifiers in 2017.

Preparation for AFC U20 Asian Cup Qualifiers

After the friendly matches, the Blue Colts will head to Tashkent on August 26, just five days prior to the AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers. This trip aims to help the team acclimatize to local conditions and gain additional training in Tashkent's climate.

India's first match in the qualifiers will be against Syria on August 31, followed by games against Uzbekistan on September 3 and Bangladesh on September 6.