Pamela Conti named head coach of India’s U-17 women’s football team

The All India Football Federation ( AIFF ) has appointed former Italy international Pamela Conti as the head coach of India’s U-17 women’s football team . Conti will lead the Young Tigresses in their upcoming AFC Women’s U-17 Asian Cup campaign, scheduled to be held in China from April 30 to May 17.

Conti, 43, has already joined the Indian team’s training camp in Anantapur , Andhra Pradesh, where preparations are underway for the continental tournament. Her brother, Vincenzo Conti , will also join the coaching staff as assistant coach, while Nivetha Ramadoss continues in her role as assistant coach.

Conti’s first official assignment with India will be the SAFF U-19 Women’s Championship 2026 in Pokhara , Nepal, from January 31 to February 7. India will field their U-17 squad in the tournament, consisting of players born in or after 2009.

A former midfielder for Italy, Conti had an illustrious international career with 90 caps and 30 goals, and played in major tournaments such as the UEFA Women’s Championship in 2005 and 2009. She also had a successful club career across Europe and the United States, winning multiple league and cup titles.

Conti began coaching in 2018 with Atletico Madrid’s U-16 women’s team and later spent five years coaching Venezuela’s senior and U-20 women’s teams. Under her guidance, Venezuela qualified for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in 2024.

With Conti taking over the U-17 team, former coach Joakim Alexandersson will now focus on the U-20 team, which will compete in the AFC Women’s U-20 Asian Cup in Thailand from April 1 to 18. This year, India will be represented in all three women’s continental tournaments, senior, U-20 and U-17, a rare achievement for Indian women’s football.