Bangladesh women's football team qualify for AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 for first time in history

Bangladesh topped Group C with one match to spare.

The Bangladesh Women’s Football team has created history by qualifying for the prestigious AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026, which is slated to take place in Australia. The 2024 SAFF Women’s Champions have also become the first team to qualify from the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers.

Bangladesh were drawn alongside Myanmar, Bahrain and Turkmenistan in Group C. They required a solid performance to topple big teams and secure a spot in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026. They managed to win both their games convincingly to finish as the table toppers of Group C.

Bangladesh scored nine goals in two matches

From the very first game, it seemed that Peter James Butler’s girls were determined to etch their names in golden letters in the history books. They kickstarted their campaign with a solid 7-0 win over Bahrain. A brace from Tohra Khatun and a collective performance from the team saw the Bangla tigress clinch all three points.

It all came down to the second matchweek, which was a virtual final between Myanmar and Bangladesh. The hosts, Myanmar, were coming after an 8-0 win over Turkmenistan, and they also had the added advantage of playing in front of their home crowd at Yangon.

The 21-year-old Rituparna Chakma from Rangmati scored a brace in the 19th and 70th minutes, respectively, to seal Bangladesh’s spot in the AFC Asian Cup 2026. The hosts did try to make a late comeback in the match after Win Win scored a 89th-minute goal. But it was too late for Myanmar even to secure a draw.

The road ahead for the Bangladesh women’s football team

Peter James Butler’s side has already qualified for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 with a match to spare. The upcoming match is a mere formality, as any permutations or combinations of results won’t alter the scenario, as Bangladesh are already ahead of Myanmar in head-to-head.

Their next game against Turkmenistan gives a golden opportunity for the English gaffer to test his bench strength. They have about nine months to prepare themselves ahead of the most prestigious tournament in Asian football.

They are also expected to play friendly games before taking on big opponents like defending champions China, Australia, South Korea, Japan and other stalwarts from Asia.

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