Peter Butler, head coach of the Bangladesh women’s national football team, has welcomed the challenge posed by the recently announced AFC Women’s Asian Cup Group B draw, expressing confidence in his side’s steady progress and desire to compete against Asia’s elite.
Bangladesh, making their debut in the tournament, have been placed in a daunting Group B alongside defending champions China, three-time winners DPR Korea, Uzbekistan, and Chinese Taipei.
“It’s a very strong group. But I’ll look forward to it,” said Butler following the draw. “From my perspective and the team’s, the most important thing is we’re getting better. We played Chinese Taipei 12 months ago and gave credible performances. Since then, we’ve changed the group, changed the team and grown consistently.”
Butler stressed that his team is on a learning curve, but he firmly believes in their ability to challenge bigger sides. “We’re better now than we were three months ago. China and North Korea will be very difficult, but anything’s possible. I’d rather embrace the challenge and tell everyone we’ll give as good as we get,” he added.
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙥𝙩 𝙄𝙨 𝙎𝙚𝙩 𝙏𝙤 𝘽𝙚 𝙒𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝘼𝙨 𝘿𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙮 𝘼𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙨 #WAC2026 promises it all and the excitement begins today.
Who are your early favourites to lift the title on March 21, 2026? pic.twitter.com/BMFC6Ccj1Y
— #WAC2026 (@afcasiancup) July 29, 2025
With the qualifiers looming, the English coach also underlined the importance of preparation, revealing that logistics and funding will play a crucial role.
“I’ve got plans, but they depend on the BFF and finances. I can say I want to play in Saudi Arabia, but I don’t make those decisions. I propose, and it’s down to the BFF to sanction them and provide the budget,” Butler said.
He remains hopeful of securing some friendly matches and fine-tuning his squad. “I probably already know my team, with a few tweaks. The under-20s have done really well and will play a big role in senior team selection. We also have other players we can call on.”
Bangladesh will kick off their historic campaign later this year, hoping to gain valuable experience and leave a mark on the continental stage.