SAFF success should translate into a brighter future for women’s sports

Mahfuza Akhter Kiron, chairman of Bangladesh Football Federation’s (BFF) women’s wing, voiced strong support for head coach Peter Butler despite recent tensions between him and senior players surfacing over team selection during the winning campaign in Nepal.

Bhutan thrashed Maldives 13-0 in their final group-stage match in Kathmandu today to set up a semifinal clash against Bangladesh in the SAFF Women’s Championship 2024.

Holders Bangladesh are set to leave for Nepal on October 15.

Bangladesh women's football team will get direct opportunity to compete in FIFA Women's World Cup Qualifiers as the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) yesterday introduced a separate qualifying competition for 2031 Women's World Cup, according to a statement from the continental body.

The women in red and green will fly out to Thimphu on July 8 and will be in action on July 11 and 14, before returning home on July 15.

Bangladesh had won the women's title of the regional football tournament for the first time after beating hosts Nepal 3-1 in the final of the last edition, which took place in Kathmandu in September 2022.

Smarting from a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Chinese Taipei in the first match, the SAFF Champions showed their character in the second match against a side that is 100 places above them in the FIFA rankings

Chinese Taipei, who are 100 places ahead of Bangladesh in FIFA Ranking, dominated the match as expected and notched up an easy victory, courtesy of a hat-trick from forward Yu-Hsuan Su.

Bangladesh women’s football team will get a chance to test their improvements when they take on Chinese Taipei in the first of a two-match FIFA international friendly fixture at the Kings Arena on Friday.  

The injury of Maria has opened an opportunity for U-19 team’s midfielder Munki Akhter.

Bangladesh women's football team players will receive their monthly salaries from FIFA fund instead of sponsors' money from now on, confirmed Bangladesh Football Federation's general secretary Emran Hossain Tushar.

AFC pro-licence coach Saiful Bari Titu is all set to be appointed as the technical director of Bangladesh Football Federation after the BFF technical committee recommended the veteran coach for a one-year appointment on Thursday.

Hosts Bangladesh stayed perfect in the ongoing SAFF Under-19 Women’s Championship as a second-string side cruised to a 4-0 win over Bhutan in their final league stage match at the Birshreshtha Shaheed Mostafa Kamal Stadium on Tuesday.

Bangladesh national women’s team captain Sabina Khatun has taken up an offer to play in the ongoing Indian Women’s League for the last edition’s runners-up Kickstart FC.

Mahfuza Akter Kiran, chairman of Bangladesh Football Federation’s women’s committee, today said that the game’s local governing body will arrange FIFA friendly matches for the women’s team on all the FIFA windows.

Forward Tahura Khatun had contemplated hanging up her boots following a lean patch but the lanky forward showcased her mettle by netting a brace in Bangladesh’s convincing 3-0 win over Singapore in the first of two FIFA friendly fixtures in Kamalapur yesterday.

Bangladesh women's football team captain Sabina Khatun is excited about the prospect of playing against former World champions and Asian Games winners Japan in debut Asian Games appearance IN in Hangzhou, China next week.

Bangladesh national women's football team players are set to come under a professional contract with the Bangladesh Football Federation.

Soon after securing a place in the finals of the 2017 AFC U-16 Women's Championship, Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) wanted to have a talented group of girls feature on a bigger stage -- the 2018 Asian Games. However, the board had to backtrack on their decision following heavy media criticism for throwing the inexperienced girls into unknown territory.