Representatives of North Korea, Iran, Japan and the Philippines were also absent in the draw ceremony, held in Sydney.
Peter Butler, the successful coach of Bangladesh women's football team, bared all in a freewheeling interview with The Daily Star's Atique Anam. The former West Ham United midfielder spoke about his football methodology, plans for the future, the shortcomings of the federation, men's football, and the controversies he has found himself in.
In a freewheeling interview with The Daily Star's Atique Anam at the team hotel in Dhaka, the former West Ham United midfielder opened up about his football methodology, plans for the future, the shortcomings of the federation, men's football, and the controversies he has found himself in.
The Most Valuable Player of the recently concluded SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship talked to reporters on Tuesday.
Her transformation from a striker makes her current role all the more fascinating.
If results go as predicted, Bangladesh could all but seal the title before that final showdown, needing only a draw against Nepal on the last matchday.
Bangladesh forward Umehla Marma returned to the starting eleven when the hosts faced Bhutan in a SAFF U-20 Women’s Champions fixture in Dhaka on Tuesday. In vividly challenging circumstances, on a rain-soaked surface at Kings Arena with threats of lightning and thunders also looming, the girl from Rangamati produced her own sparks.
Midfielder Shanti Mardi scored a hattrick while Munki Akter added one as Bangladesh cruised to a 4-1 victory over Bhutan in their SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship fixture inside the Bashundhara Residential Area on Tuesday, consolidating the top-spot in the four-team competition with a third win in three matches.
If the Bangladesh women's football team had surpassed all expectations by emerging as SAFF champions in 2022, they have completely blown it out of the water in 2025, by qualifying for the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026.
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.
Since Bangladesh's maiden triumph in SAFF Women's Championship two years ago, there have been strong recommendations for taking necessary initiatives to take the country's women's football beyond the South Asian region, a demand that has only been strengthened following the successful title defence in Nepal a few days ago.
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.
