There is a certain efficiency to how the All India Football Federation functions. Decisions are made quickly, reversed even quicker, and explained with a level of confidence that almost makes you forget the results on the pitch. Because while the boardroom thrives in abstraction, the scoreboard tends to be less forgiving. And India’s campaign at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 offered exactly that, clarity. Three matches, three defeats, 0 points. Two goals scored, sixteen conceded. A narrow 1-2 loss to Vietnam that hinted at promise, a 0-11 defeat to eventual champions Japan that exposed the gulf, and an 1-3 loss to Chinese Taipei that ended whatever faint hopes remained. Yet, if you follow the logic emerging from the federation, the problem appears to be something far more specific: Amelia Valverde. The AIFF has decided not to extend the contract of head coach Valverde following India’s winless campaign at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup. The foreign coach experiment When Amelia Valverde was appointed in January 2026, the messaging was clear. India needed international expertise for …