Fresh off their SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship victory on home soil, Bangladesh’s women’s football team is preparing for another overseas assignment this time for the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers in Laos. The 23-member squad, unchanged from the SAFF tournament, will depart on 2 August.
At a press conference held on 31 July at the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) headquarters, head coach Peter Butler and captain Afaida Khandakar shared their thoughts ahead of the tournament.
“We’ve been playing continuously,” said Afaida. “Everyone played in SAFF. Those who featured in the Asian Cup qualifiers earlier got some rest. There’s hardly any fatigue. We’re going to Laos aiming to perform well and qualify.”
Bangladesh have been placed in Group H for the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers, alongside South Korea, hosts Laos, and Timor-Leste.
They will begin their campaign against Laos on 6 August, followed by a match against Timor-Leste on 8 August. Their final group fixture is scheduled for 10 August against South Korea.
The eight group winners and the three best runners-up across all groups will advance to the final round of the tournament, set to be held in Thailand in 2026.
Acknowledging the strength of their group, Butler said, “South Korea is very strong. But our first match is against Laos, that’s the most important one. We must win it.”
When reminded of Bangladesh’s past record in the competition with only two wins from 12 matches the British coach replied with a smile, “This is 2025, not 2019. You can’t remain stuck in history. We must move forward.”
The current squad features nine players who were also part of the senior national team, highlighting how the qualifiers are not just a youth-level challenge but also a stepping stone for Bangladesh’s broader footballing ambitions.
“As we prepare to face teams like China and North Korea in the senior Asian Cup, playing against a team like South Korea here will be very helpful for our development,” added Afaida.
Bangladesh squad for the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers
Goalkeepers: Swarna Rani, Mili Akter, Ferdousi Akter
Defenders: Zaynab Bibi, Afaida Khandakar (captain), Surma Jannat, Kanom Akter, Ruma Akter
Midfielders: Swapna Rani, Kanon Rani, Oishi Khatun, Oynta Bala, Rupa Akter, Barna Khatun, Munki Akter, Sinha Jahan, Shanti Mardi, Nadia Akter
Forwards: Puja Das, Umela Marma, Mosammat Sagarika, Trishna Rani, Nabiran Khatun