India’s senior national women’s team, which will participate in the 2026 AFC Women’s Asia Cup in Australia in March, is set to have a mentor in Amelia Valverde of Costa Rica. It has been learnt that head coach Crispin Chettri, who guided the senior team to the final round last July, has given written consent to the mentor's appointment. Valverde had coached Costa Rica in two women’s World Cups — 2015 and 2023. In 2015, she took over after The Ticas, as the women’s national team is called, earned a berth for the Finals. Costa Rica had lost all their three group matches.

Source: The Telegraph January 15, 2026 00:03 UTC