Kolkata : AIFF is planning to groom Indian U23 players, focusing on ground level, international exposure and giving them importance for long term development ahead of AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers and Asian Games 2026. As a result, they’ve shortlisted and called upon 29 U23 Indian Footballers in Kolkata camp, keeping in mind preparation for international friendlies in June 2025 and other important matches, tournaments later this year.
Forgettable stats show why U23 Indian team needs grooming and long term development
India U23 team has a record to forget in AFC Asian Cup (U23) Qualifiers in last decade. They only managed to win 7 out of 18 matches since 2014.
Besides this, in Asian Games, they’ve 9 losses in 16 games since 2002.
In 2018, the U-23 team wasn’t even sent due to disagreements with the Indian Olympic Association. Only in 2022, after a last-minute intervention by AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey, did the team manage to compete.
Development : Need of the hour
India U23 coach Naushad Moosa, who coached them in Malaysia earlier this March is taking long term development prospect seriously.
The team is set to face strong sides like Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan in mid June this year. These are part of AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifier preparations, to be held in September 2025.
As a result the coaching staff, AIFF scouted, reviewed more than 100 players before shortlisting 29 Footballers.
AIFF plans to hold camps of U23 team parallel to Indian senior National teams. FIFA windows will be utilized to the fullest for U23 players’ development.
“Going forward, the India U-23 team will have camps parallel to the senior national team. Since long camps aren’t feasible due to club commitments, the idea is to utilize every FIFA window for U-23 development,” a senior AIFF official told Khel Now.
U23 Players (among 29) includes ISL 2024-25 stalwarts like Nikhil Barla, Dippendu Biswas, Vibin Mohanan, Lalrinliana Hnamte, Macarton Louis Nickson, Korou Singh and Mohammed Sanan, who all clocked over 900 minutes.
The squad also includes former U-16/U-19 standouts like Sahil, Bikash Yumnam, Pramveer, Korou Singh, Manglethang Kipgen and Parthib Sundar Gogoi.
India U23 Shortlisted Players :
Goalkeepers
Sahil (Bengaluru FC)
Priyansh Dube (Mohun Bagan)
MD Arbaz (On Loan to Real Kashmir From Kerala Blasters)
Defenders
Nikhil Barla (Jamshedpur FC)
Dippendu Biswas (Mohun Bagan)
Bikash Yumnamm, Muhammed Saheef (Kerala Blasters)
Pramveer (Punjab FC)
Clarence Savio F (On Loan to SC Bengaluru From Hyderabad FC)
Sajad Hussain Parray (Mohammedan SC)
Subham Bhattacharya (Odisha FC)
Suman Dey (East Bengal)
Midfielders
Vibin Mohanan, Korou Singh, Mohammed Aimen (Kerala Blasters)
Lalremtluanga Fanai, Vinith Venkatesh, Harsh Patre, Shivaldo Singh (Bengaluru FC)
Rahul Raju (Gokulam Kerala FC)
Lalrinliana Hnamte (Chennaiyin FC)
Macarton Louis Nickson, Huidrom Thoi Singh (NorthEast United)
Manglethang Kipgen, Md. Suhail (Punjab FC)
Mohammed Sanan (Jamshedpur FC)
Forwards
Alan Shaji (FC Goa)
Joseph Sunny (Hyderabad FC)
Parthib Sundar Gogoi (NorthEast United)
Under Bibiano Fernandez, India at junior levels (notably U16, 17) performed to top mark, qualifying for AFC U17 Championship 3 times. In 2018 , they even made it to the quarter finals. Recently, the U19 team also clinched SAFF U19 Championship 2025.
But, this development isn’t visible till now in U23 level. Therefore, the long term development prospect of AIFF is need of the hour, for betterment of Indian Football.
