Bangladesh Women’s Football Team Qualifies for AFC Asian Cup for the First Time
Bangladesh’s women’s national football team has etched their name into the history books, qualifying for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup finals for the first time ever after a thrilling 2-1 victory over hosts Myanmar at Yangon’s Thuwunna Stadium.
The hero of the historic night was winger Ritu Porna Chakma, who delivered a sensational brace to seal the Group C win. With this result and a subsequent 2-2 draw between Bahrain and Turkmenistan, Bangladesh now tops the group with six points from two matches, making them mathematically unbeatable regardless of the outcome of their final fixture.
Following their emphatic 7-0 demolition of Bahrain in the opening match, the Bengal Tigresses continued their fearless run against a formidable Myanmar side, ranked 73 places higher in the FIFA standings (Myanmar 55th, Bangladesh 128th). Head coach Peter Butler stuck with an unchanged lineup, trusting the momentum built from their earlier performance.
Myanmar showed early aggression, nearly scoring within 14 seconds, but it was Bangladesh who struck first. In the 19th minute, after Shamsunnahar Jr was fouled just outside the box, Ritu Porna’s free-kick was blocked but she reacted quickly, rifling the rebound into the far corner with her trusted left foot.
Ritu continued to dazzle, nearly assisting a second goal five minutes later. Her cross found Shamsunnahar Jr in the box, whose shot crashed against the bar. Myanmar pushed back, hitting the woodwork themselves before the half ended, but couldn’t convert their chances.
In the second half, Ritu Porna once again delivered when it mattered. In the 72nd minute, she intercepted a pass, skipped past a defender, and curled in a precise strike from the edge of the box, doubling the lead and silencing the home crowd.
Myanmar grabbed a late consolation in the 89th minute through substitute Win Win, but it wasn’t enough to alter the outcome.
With this win, Bangladesh becomes the first team from the qualifiers to book their place in the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, joining automatic entrants Australia (as hosts), and Japan, China, and South Korea.
This achievement marks a monumental step forward for Bangladeshi football—the first time any national team from the country has reached an Asian Cup final round since the men’s team in 1980.
⚽ Match Result:
Bangladesh 2 (Ritu Porna Chakma 19’, 72’)
Myanmar 1 (Win Win 89’)
Related: How Bangladesh Football Ultras Are Changing the Perspective of Football Fandom – Discover the passionate supporters fueling the rise of football culture in Bangladesh.
