The Bangladesh women’s football team has officially kicked off full-scale training at the National Stadium ahead of the 21st Women’s Asian Cup, which will be held in Australia from 1–21 March. Head coach Peter Butler led the morning session for the players, with preparations set to continue throughout the week.
Initially, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) had planned a week-long camp in Thailand and a practice match. However, with no guarantee of a fixture there, BFF considered the Philippines as an alternative. Despite the positive conditions, Butler reportedly decided against playing in another country, citing concerns over player injuries and mental pressure after the domestic league concluded on 13 February.
“The team will now go directly to Australia. They may depart for Sydney on 20 February. There will be no stop in any other country before that. In Sydney, they will play one preparatory match with a local club,” said Mahfuza Akter Kiron, head of BFF’s women’s wing.
Bangladesh secured their place in the Asia Cup by topping Group B in the qualifiers in Myanmar last July. Following the team’s return, BFF president Tabith Awal dubbed the campaign ‘Mission Australia’. While the name was ambitious, the federation and women’s wing have yet to produce a clear roadmap for the tournament.
Kiron explained that prior plans for long camps and practice matches in Japan, New Zealand, and Australia could not materialise because host nations had their own schedules. “We therefore brought Malaysia and Azerbaijan to Dhaka for matches and played two games in Thailand,” she said.
However, coordination challenges within BFF remain. Butler has reportedly limited accountability, favouring Swedish expatriate Annika in the team while experienced players such as Sabina and Masura were not included in the camp. “After international matches, the coach regularly avoids giving feedback. The federation does not challenge him, and disagreement over Asia Cup planning is practically unthinkable,” sources noted.
In Australia, Bangladesh will compete in Group B alongside China, North Korea, and Uzbekistan. Their campaign begins on 3 March against China, followed by matches on 6 March against North Korea and 9 March against Uzbekistan.
