Bangladesh women’s team likely to make changes ahead of Asian Cup qualifiers
The women in red and green will kick off their Group C campaign against Bahrain on 29 June, followed by matches against hosts Myanmar on 2 July and Turkmenistan on 5 July.
The Bangladesh women's football team are expected to make several changes to their squad from last month's tour of Jordan as they prepare for the upcoming AFC Women's Asian Cup Qualifiers, set to take place in Myanmar later this month.
The women in red and green will kick off their Group C campaign against Bahrain on 29 June, followed by matches against hosts Myanmar on 2 July and Turkmenistan on 5 July. Only the group winners will progress to the final tournament, which is scheduled to be held in Australia in March next year.
Bangladesh, currently ranked 128th in the FIFA rankings, are the second-lowest ranked team in the group. Myanmar lead the group as the highest-ranked side at 55th, followed by Bahrain (92nd), while Turkmenistan, ranked 141st, are the lowest.
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Despite the challenges, Bangladesh's recent performances in Jordan—where they earned credible draws against higher-ranked Jordan and Indonesia—have boosted morale and belief within the camp.
Speaking to media on Saturday, a member of the coaching staff said: "The first match against Bahrain is the most crucial. All our focus is on that game. If we can win it, we'll feel confident about progressing to the final round."
Currently, 28 players are in training under head coach Peter Butler. The squad will be reduced to 23 before the team departs for Myanmar in the early hours of Wednesday.
Five senior players who were playing in Bhutan have now rejoined the squad, with Shamsunnahar Sr the most recent arrival. However, former captain Sabina Khatun, defender Masura Parvin, and three others remain absent from the setup.
According to the coaching staff, the final squad will feature a mix of experience and youth, particularly in defence and midfield.
"This is a much more important assignment. There will definitely be a few inclusions, while some players from the Jordan tour will miss out. The final selection will be announced by the head coach, but I can say this squad will have more experience," said the staff member, requesting anonymity.
