Of the 18 rebel players of the Bangladesh women’s team, some 10 players met head coach Peter Butler today on the first day of the national team's training camp for the AFC Women's Asian Cup Qualifiers in June-July.
There has apparently been no resolution regarding the impasse between women’s footballers and the team’s head coach as six senior players are leaving to play in the Bhutan National Women’s League today, a day prior to Peter Butler’s return from England.
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus presented the Ekushey Padak 2025 -- the country's second highest civilian award -- to the Bangladesh women’s national team, a four-member team of Avro keyboard, and 13 eminent citizens at Osmani Memorial Auditorium today. Sabina Khatun and her troops were selected for the prestigious prize in recognition of their contribution to the country's sports sector. The women in red and green won the country's first SAFF Women's Championship title in 2022 and defended their crown two years later. "Inspired by your contribution, the nation is firmly hoped to be established in a continuous better position in assemblies of the United Nations,” Chief Adviser Yunus said at the award distribution ceremony. Photos: BFF
Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) yesterday signed contracts with 36 players of the national women’s football teams, confirmed a source within the BFF.
There apparently has not been any headway in the impasse in women's football despite a wholehearted effort from the president of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) to break the ice between the 18 senior players and the head coach of the women's national team.
Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) president Tabith Awal will make a call on the report prepared by a seven-member special committee regarding the ongoing impasse over women’s football team’s camp, even though it is uncertain whether the president will declare the findings of the report today or will take more time to more on the delicate issue before making it public.
“Over the past few days, I have received countless death and rape threats—words that have shattered me in ways I never imagined,” wrote Bangladesh women’s football team forward Matsushima Sumaya in a Facebook post that has reverberated across the nation today.
The residential training camp will be supervised by local coaches, as the local governing body has yet to confirm the reappointment of British coach Peter Butler, who guided Bangladesh to triumph in the SAFF Women’s Championship last year.
National Sports Council (NSC) has issued 32 cheques for players and support staff of the SAFF winning Bangladesh women’s football team, equally disbursing the promised Tk 1 crore reward for bringing home the regional football title for the second time in a row, said sports Adviser Asif Mahmud on social media.
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.
