Women's football in Bangladesh

This article is about women's football. For men's football, see Football in Bangladesh.

Women's football in Bangladesh
Country	Bangladesh
Governing body	Bangladesh Football Federation
National team(s)	Women's national team
National competitions
SAFF Women's Championship
Club competitions
Bangladesh Women's Football League
International competitions
Summer Olympics (National Team) FIFA Women's World Cup (National Team) AFC Women's Asian Cup (National Team)

Women's football in the Bangladesh is a growing sport.[1] The Bangladesh Women's Football League is the only domestic football league dedicated to woemen's football in Bangladesh. The national team has achieved significant sub-continental success, winning the SAFF Women's Championship in both 2022 and 2024, which has helped grow the popularity of women's football.

History

The introduction of women's football in Bangladesh came in 1977, when football coach, Sheikh Shaheb Ali arranged a training camp at Viqarunnisa Noon School and College. The camp was arranged for an eventually cancelled exhibition match against a team from West Bengal, India.[2][3]

Eventaually, in 2003, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) formed the BFF XI in preperation for three exhibition matches against West Bengal. Although matches were played in both Dhaka and Jessore, the fixture in Netrokona could not be held due to security threats. In the same year, a women's wing was established within the BFF, with Sirajul Islam Bacchu serving as chairman. In 2004, the first ever women's football tournament was organised by the BFF at the Kamalapur Stadium.[2]

In 2005, the BFF formed the Bangladesh women's national under-17 team and participated in the 2005 AFC U-17 Women's Championship held in Namhae, South Korea under the invitation of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).[4] The Bangladesh women's national team made their international debut at the 2010 South Asian Games in Dhaka. Eventually, women's football academies were established throughout the country, notably in Dhaka, Rangamati and Rajshahi.[5] The BFF also launched the BFF Elite Female Academy and received a One Star Recognition as part of the AFC Elite Youth Scheme.[6] The Bangamata U-19 Women's International Gold Cup was also established in 2019, as the country's first international women's football tournament.[7][8]

National competition

• The Inter-district Women's Football Tournament (2006–2007) was the first women's inter-district football tournament where eight teams from different districts all over the country took part in.[9]

• The National Women's Championship (2009–2016) was contested by districts and government institutions, with Citycell sponsoring its innaugural season.[10]

• The Dhaka Metropolis Women's School Football Championship (2008–2010) was a inter-school football tournament contested by schools in Dhaka.[11][12]

• The Bangamata Primary School Gold Cup (2011–present) was innaugurated by the Primary and Mass Education Department of the government and led to more than a million female students from more than 60,000 primary schools taking part in the initial phase of the tournament in its maiden edition.[13]

• The Bangladesh Women's Football League (2011–present) is the only domestic club football league in Bangladeshi women's football.

National team

Senior

• Bangladesh women's national football team

Youth

• Bangladesh women's national under-20 football team
• Bangladesh women's national under-17 football team

References

1. Duerden, John (4 October 2022). "Bangladesh are blazing a trail for female footballers in south Asia". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
2. "যেভাবে শুরু মেয়েদের ফুটবলের পথচলা". Bangla Tribune (in Bengali). 1 January 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
3. "The rise and rise of women's football". The Daily Star. 24 September 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
4. "সেই দিন এই দিন". Prothomalo (in Bengali). 7 September 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
5. "Inspiring neighbors amid financial shortfall". Dhaka Tribune. 20 August 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
6. "BFF Elite Female Academy gets a One (1) Star Recognition". BFF. 7 March 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
7. "U-19 Bangamata Gold Cup Football Tournament in April". Daily Sun. 2 January 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
8. "Women's Football: Success, challenges and impact beyond the pitch". The Daily Star. 15 April 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
9. "Rangamati clinch women's football championship title". bdnews24.com. 15 December 2007. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
10. "Citycell Women's Nat'l Football from today". The Daily Star. 30 January 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
11. "Women's School Football". The Daily Star. 20 June 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
12. "Aga Khan lift title". The Daily Star. 2 November 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
13. "Rise of the Bangladesh girls". Dhaka Tribune. 4 January 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2025.

External links

• Bangladesh - List of Women Champions at RSSSF