Bangladesh will begin their title defence in the SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship 2025 with a clash against Sri Lanka at the Bashundhara Kings Arena in Dhaka tomorrow (Friday), in what promises to be a pivotal tournament for youth development in South Asian women’s football.
The match kicks off at 3:00 PM and will be followed by Nepal’s encounter with Bhutan at the same venue later in the evening.
Returning from a historic qualification for the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup, Bangladesh head into the competition buoyed by confidence and purpose. However, head coach Peter Butler insists the primary goal isn’t silverware but long-term progress.
“This tournament is a platform for testing our youth. Winning is important, but preparing players for the senior level matters more,” said Butler at Thursday’s pre-tournament press conference. “We’ve worked on keeping the girls grounded after Myanmar. Discipline and humility are vital, because complacency ruins team culture.”
Butler, who is overseeing the senior, U-20 and U-17 national teams simultaneously, sees the SAFF tournament as an essential step in building the next generation. “I don’t work with individuals, I work with teams. From here, we may find our next Rituporna,” he added, referencing the absence of the star forward from the squad this time.
With India’s withdrawal altering the format, the four-team competition now follows a round-robin format, with the highest point-scorer crowned champions. Bangladesh will also face Nepal (July 13 and 21) and Bhutan (July 15 and 17), and play Sri Lanka once more on July 19.
While some nations like Nepal have opted for a purely junior side, Bangladesh’s squad includes more senior players. Butler addressed the topic directly, stating, “That’s their choice. I wanted to field some U-17s too, but eligibility rules prevented that. I’m happy with our squad.”
Team captain Afeida Khandaker echoed her coach’s grounded confidence, saying, “We didn’t have much preparation time after Myanmar, but we used it wisely. Everyone’s training together with focus. Alhamdulillah, the mood is good.”
On the significance of SAFF, Afeida was unequivocal. “People may call it a small tournament, but to us it’s not. SAFF is where our journey began. It’s our root, and you don’t abandon your roots.”