It’s the end of another year and the beginning of another one, 2022. For football fans in India, this year is going to be a fantastic year to quench their insatiable thirst. The Covid-19 proved to be a bane last year with schedules of several tournaments going haywire. There are several important tournaments lined up in 2022 as well, apart from the Indian Super League, I-League etc. Hope the “beautiful game” does not get badly affected this year. With a tinge of optimism let us go through some of the critical events in the upcoming calendar year.
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AFC Women’s Asian Cup & FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup India
The AFC Women’s Asian Cup is another event to look forward to but with Covid clouds getting darker at the beginning of this year it is likely to miss its date of January 20. However, whenever it unfolds this year a power-packed performance can be expected from the talented bunch of girls in the squad. India did play three friendlies against Brazil, Chile and Venezuela. In spite of the unfavourable outcomes in the matches, the team seems to have gained valuable exposure. The experience gained is bound to hold them in good stead for future matches as well. In the group stage, India will be locking horns with Iran (20th), Chinese Taipei (23rd) and China PR (26th).
This apart, the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup will also kick off in India in 2022, provided Covid-19 does not play spoilsport. It is going to be the debut for the Indian colts in a FIFA event and the girls will only be eager to put their best feet forward in a setting as magnificent as this. The tournament is supposed to start on October 11 with the final on October 30, 2022.
Asian Games
India missed the bus in 2018 as the team got dislodged from the top 8 national teams to deny the boys entry into the Asian Games. Rules as per the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) stipulate that teams featuring from 1-8 at the continental level only make the cut for the games. However, the good news is that India, at present, is ranked seventh in Asia and this makes them eligible for the Asian Games this year. The icing on the cake is that this time women’s team can also participate.
Indian Women’s League
We can expect a riveting season involving the Indian women team. The outbreak of the Coronavirus stopped the League from being held last year. However, the Indian Women’s League is poised to happen in 2022, featuring some of the enigmatic talents in the country. This one promises to be a heady cocktail of breathtaking action and exhilarating display.
AFC Men’s Asian Cup Qualifiers
The all-important AFC Asian Cup qualifiers usually take place during June. Post a spectacular show at the SAFF Cup, India will be itching to set the football arena on fire at the Qualifiers. Last time at the AFC Asian Cup the Indian team managed just one victory. Despite looking extremely threatening and hungry, India could not go beyond the group stages. So, they would be hoping to make amends this time.
