Bangladesh secures a spot in the U-20 Women's Asian Cup for the inaugural occasion
Bangladesh U-20 Women's Football Team Qualifies for AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup
In a historic moment for Bangladesh, the U-20 women's football team has qualified for the AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup for the first time. The qualification was secured as one of the three best runners-up in the qualifiers, which concluded on Sunday and featured 33 Asian teams.
The journey began in August 2025, with the qualification round held in Vientiane, Laos. Bangladesh started off strong, securing a win against Laos (3-1) and a thrashing of East Timor (8-0). A draw against South Korea would have allowed Bangladesh to top their group and qualify for the Asian Cup directly. However, a disappointing second-half performance saw them concede five goals, dashing their hopes of topping the group.
Despite the setback, Bangladesh's form in the tournament was impressive. Trishna Rani, the team's top scorer, scored four goals, including a hat-trick against East Timor. Mosammat Sagorika also contributed three goals.
The AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup qualification criteria require teams to compete in a group stage, with the top team from each group, along with the three best second-placed teams, qualifying for the final tournament. The host country automatically qualifies. The rankings are based on points, with detailed tiebreakers including head-to-head results, goal difference, goals scored, disciplinary points, and drawing of lots if needed.
The AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup serves as the qualifying tournament for Asian teams to the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. The exact criteria and number of qualifying spots are set by FIFA and AFC regulations, usually based on final placements in the AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup.
Meanwhile, North Korea, India, Japan, South Korea, and China have secured direct qualification to the main stage of the Asian Cup, which will take place in Thailand next year. The AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup will be held from 1-18 April in Thailand, with the hosts having already booked their spot.
The qualification comes as a significant step forward for Bangladesh's women's football team. Since the start of 2024, the team had been in superb form, going unbeaten in 12 matches before today's loss to South Korea. The team clinched the SAFF title on home soil with six consecutive wins.
The team's success at the Asian Cup could potentially earn them a ticket to the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, which will be held in Poland in September. The top four teams in Thailand will qualify for the global tournament.
This milestone achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the players and the coaching staff. It marks a new era for women's football in Bangladesh and provides hope for future successes in the sport.
Football has been a significant part of Bangladesh's recent success in sports, with the U-20 women's football team securing a spot in the AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup, setting a historical first for the country. The team's notable achievement in the qualifiers, which concluded on Sunday, earned them one of the three best runner-up positions among the 33 participating Asian teams.
