New Delhi, August 26: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has appointed Anthony Andrews as the assistant coach of the Under-17 women’s national team, along with Joakim Alexandersson, who is set to continue as the head coach of the national side.

Andrews comes into the side with good experience in the Indian football setup, having served as the head coach of East Bengal FC (women’s team), a position he will continue to hold. He has joined the India U17 women’s team in Tashkent, where the Young Tigresses are scheduled to play two international friendly matches against Uzbekistan on Thursday and Sunday as part of their preparations for the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers.

The Qualifiers will be held in Malaysia from October 5 to 11, with India set to compete in Group E alongside Malaysia, Syria and Iraq.

Speaking on his appointment, Andrews said, “Having spent a significant part of my coaching career in women’s football, working across both youth and senior levels, representing the country in this capacity is a responsibility that I take with immense pride and commitment.”

Anthony Andrews Successful Women’s Football Coaching

Andrews, the reigning Indian Women’s League (IWL) champion with East Bengal, is the most successful coach in the competition’s history, having won four titles. He led Gokulam Kerala FC to consecutive IWL triumphs in 2021-22 and 2022-23 before guiding East Bengal FC to back-to-back championships in 2024-25 and 2025-26. He remains the only coach to have won more than two IWL titles.

“Over the years, I have been fortunate to work with and develop many players who have gone on to represent India at youth and senior levels. Those experiences have given me valuable insights into player development, talent identification, and creating environments where young players can maximise their potential. I hope to bring that experience, along with the winning culture.”

Andrews has also played a key role in East Bengal’s growing presence in continental football. Last Sunday, he guided the club through the AFC Women’s Champions League 2026-27 Preliminary Stage in Malaysia, making East Bengal the first Indian women’s club to reach the group stage in consecutive seasons. Under his leadership, the club also became the first Indian women’s side to win a match in the AFC Women’s Champions League group stage last season.