telangana
India U20 to Face Yemen in Two Closed-Door Friendlies Ahead of AFC U20 Asian Cup Qualifiers
India’s U20 men’s side will host Yemen for two behind‑closed‑door friendlies in Bengaluru on Aug 20 and Aug 23 as part of their build‑up for the AFC U20 Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers. The matches follow two wins over Singapore and precede a training stint in Tashkent before the qualifying campaign begins on Aug 31.
By Sathwik Kasula ·
What happened
India’s U20 men’s side will host Yemen for two behind‑closed‑door friendlies in Bengaluru on Aug 20 and Aug 23 as part of their build‑up for the AFC U20 Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers. The matches follow two wins over Singapore and precede a training stint in Tashkent before the qualifying campaign begins on Aug 31. India U20 will play Yemen in two closed‑door friendlies in Bengaluru on Aug 20 and 23 before heading to Tashkent for AFC qualifier prep.
TL;DR
India U20 will play Yemen in two closed‑door friendlies in Bengaluru on Aug 20 and 23 before heading to Tashkent for AFC qualifier prep.
Key points
- India U20 will host Yemen for friendlies on 2026-08-20 and 2026-08-23 at the Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru
- Both matches will be played behind closed doors
- The camp already featured wins over Singapore (3‑0 on 2026-08-03 and 1‑0 on 2026-08-06)
- India’s only previous U20 encounter with Yemen was a 0‑0 draw in the 2017 AFC U19 Championship Qualifiers
- After the friendlies, India will travel to Tashkent on 2026-08-26 before the AFC qualifiers start on 2026-08-31
New Delhi – The Indian U20 men’s team, known as the Blue Colts, will play two friendly matches against Yemen at the Centre for Sports Excellence (CSE) in Bengaluru on 20 August and 23 August 2026. Both fixtures will be held behind closed doors, allowing the squad to focus on tactical preparation without the pressure of a crowd.
These games mark the third and fourth friendlies of the current training camp. Earlier in the month, India secured convincing victories over Singapore at the same venue, winning 3‑0 on 3 August and 1‑0 on 6 August. The side’s recent form builds confidence ahead of the AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers.
India and Yemen have met only once at this age level, drawing 0‑0 in the AFC U19 Championship Qualifiers in 2017. The upcoming matches therefore provide a rare opportunity for both teams to gauge each other’s progress.
Following the two friendlies, the Blue Colts will travel to Tashkent on 26 August, five days before the start of the qualifiers, to acclimatise to local conditions and undertake additional training. India’s qualifying campaign will open against Syria on 31 August, followed by fixtures against Uzbekistan on 3 September and Bangladesh on 6 September.
The schedule reflects a strategic approach by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to combine competitive match practice with environmental adaptation, aiming to maximise the team’s performance in the upcoming Asian competition.