Nivetha wins AFC youth female Coach of the Year Award

CHENNAI R. Nivetha has won the youth female Coach of the Year Award at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Elite Youth Football Awards 2026. She will receive the award at a ceremony, to be held in Kuala Lumpur on December 8 and 9, in conjunction with the AFC Women’s Football Conference and the AFC Youth Conference.

“It’s a dream come true to receive the award. It’s really a privilege. Now, I have to manage expectations and continue doing my duty with dedication.

My goal is to ensure the Indian team does well in the 2027 AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup in China,” the 34-year-old told The Hindu. Nivetha has been associated with the Indian u-17 women’s team since 2020-2021 and has been part of its coaching setup at several camps. In 2022, she was the assistant coach of the Indian team at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India.