The Bangladesh women’s under-20 football team departed Dhaka on Saturday, setting off for Laos to compete in the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers 2026.
Drawn into Group H alongside strong contenders South Korea, Timor-Leste, and host nation Cambodia, the reigning SAFF U-20 Women’s Champions will begin their quest on August 6 against Cambodia at the New Laos National Stadium in Vientiane.
Following their opening match, Bangladesh will take on Timor-Leste on August 8, before facing a tough challenge against South Korea on August 10.
All matches in the group will be held at the same venue.
A total of 33 teams from across Asia are competing in the initial qualifying round, divided into eight groups. The winners of each group, along with the three best runners-up, will advance to the final stage — a 12-team tournament hosted by Thailand next year.
The AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup serves as a crucial platform for nurturing future stars of women’s football in Asia, and Bangladesh aims to build on their recent success in the region.
Bangladesh squad:
Mile Akter, Fardosi Akter Shonale, Swarna Rani Mandal, Afeida Khandakar, Mst Ruma Akter, Kanom Akter, Mst Joynob Bibi Rita, Surma Jannat, Oeyshi Khatun, Ayonto Bala Mahato, Kanon Rani Bahadur, Nadia Akter Juti, Bonna Khatun, Nabiran Khatun, Shanti Mardi, Rupa Akter, Munki Akhter, Sapna Rani, Sinha Jahan Shikha, Mst Sagorika, Umehla Marma, Puja Das, and Trishna Rani.