Bangladesh women’s football team has made history by qualifying for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup for the first time.

In the Group C qualifiers, Bangladesh performed impressively, defeating two strong rivals: Bahrain, ranked 36 places above in FIFA rankings, with a 7-0 victory, and hosts Myanmar, ranked 73 places higher, with a 2-0 win.

Despite these wins, Bangladesh’s place in the main tournament depended on the result of the Bahrain vs. Turkmenistan match. That game ended in a 2-2 draw, securing Bangladesh’s top spot in the group with 6 points and confirming their participation in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup.

This achievement is more than just statistics; it marks a revolution in confidence for Bangladesh’s women’s football. Previously, Bangladesh had failed to win any matches in two earlier qualifying attempts in 2014 and 2022. This time, they have settled all accounts on the field.

Both goals against Myanmar came from forward Rituparna Chakma, silencing the home crowd and marking Bangladesh’s first-ever victory over Myanmar. In their last meeting during the 2018 Olympic qualifiers, Bangladesh suffered a 5-0 defeat against Myanmar.

By overcoming that past defeat, the Bengal Tigresses have shown they do not just play to compete—they play to make history.

MSK/