A national team preparing for one of Asia’s biggest tournaments should be focused on tactics and belief—not scrambling for jerseys that actually fit.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has once again been caught off-side, leaving the national women’s team in a state of logistical chaos just 24 hours before their AFC Women’s Asian Cup debut against Vietnam in Perth. What should have been a final day of tactical focus was instead consumed by a frantic, last-minute scramble for basic match kits.
The situation reached a breaking point during a pre-match media conference featuring head coach Amelia Valverde and skipper Sweety Devi. While the duo addressed the press, the team’s gear—the very fabric of their national identity—remained a source of uncertainty. Reports indicate that the AIFF’s failure to secure a kit manufacturer through a formal tender process led to a series of desperate, failed attempts to outfit the squad.
A Comedy of Errors
The timeline of the failure suggests a systemic breakdown in administration. After a tender for a new manufacturer fetched zero bids, an official was dispatched to Tirrupur, Tamil Nadu, to find a local supplier. However, the resulting garments were ill-fitting and unprofessional. The crisis peaked on Monday when the squad received a shipment of kits sized for under-15 or smaller athletes, rendering them unusable for 80% of the 26-player squad.
In a signed statement to AIFF Deputy Secretary-General Satyanarayan Muthyalu, the players expressed their frustration, noting that the "arrival of incorrect match kits at this crucial stage has further affected morale and disrupted our focus."
Last-Minute Salvage
To avoid international embarrassment, the AIFF was forced into an emergency "buy-off-the-shelf" solution. Officials sourced kits from a European company with retail outlets in Perth, working through Tuesday night to get the gear ready. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) eventually gave the green light for the locally procured kits, but not before the team’s official photoshoot had to be cancelled and rescheduled.
This is not the first time the AIFF has stumbled on the world stage. A similar incident occurred during the 2022 Under-17 World Cup, when player boots arrived only after the final practice session because the consignment was sent by road.
The Stakes for Redemption
Despite the off-field distractions, the stakes on the pitch could not be higher. This tournament serves as a pathway to the 2027 World Cup. For eight players in the current squad, including Sweety Devi, this campaign is a chance for redemption after the 2022 edition—which India hosted—was cut short by a COVID-19 outbreak within the team.
Coach Valverde has urged her players to ensure the "occasion should not be bigger than our preparation." However, for a team that qualified on merit and trained across Turkiye and Australia, the requirement to focus on "identity" becomes significantly harder when the federation cannot even provide a jersey that fits.
As India prepares to face Vietnam, followed by matches against heavyweights Japan and Chinese Taipei, the players have proven their professionalism. The question that remains is whether the AIFF can ever hope to match it.
