Defending champions Bangladesh are ready to begin their campaign in the SAFF Women’s Championship 2026 when they take on Maldives in their opening Group B match in Goa, India on Thursday.
The match carries added significance as it coincides with Eid-ul-Azha in Bangladesh, with the nation’s women footballers hoping to celebrate the occasion by making a winning start in their bid for a third consecutive South Asian title.
Bangladesh lifted their maiden SAFF Women’s Championship crown in 2022 before retaining the trophy in 2024, defeating hosts Nepal in the final on both occasions.
Now blending experienced campaigners with emerging young talents, the Tigresses enter the tournament with confidence, although they are expected to face stiff competition from five-time champions India, who opened their campaign with a commanding 11-0 victory over Maldives.
Bangladesh head coach Peter Butler, however, brushed aside any discussion of chasing a similar scoreline against the Maldives.
“It’s marathon, it’s not sprint,” Butler said on Wednesday while speaking about the team’s approach to the tournament.
“It’s first match. We just take one game at a time,” added the English coach, whose side will also face hosts India in their second and final group-stage fixture on May 31.
Earlier during the pre-tournament press conference, Butler expressed satisfaction with Bangladesh’s preparation and said he hoped the work done ahead of the tournament would help the defending champions retain the title once again.
The tournament also marks the beginning of a new chapter for midfielder Maria Manda, who has taken over the captaincy from Afeida Khandaker.
“We all are fit,” Maria said on Wednesday.
“As it is our first match, our target is to take the points. We all are ready to try and play well,” she added.
Asked whether the team wanted to give the fans back home an Eid gift through their performance, Maria responded positively.
“Of course, if we do well, it is like giving something to the country. We expect to play well and gift a good performance as well as a good result,” said the Bangladesh skipper.
The match will be played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and is scheduled to kick off at 8pm Bangladesh Standard Time.
Six nations are competing in this year’s tournament, divided into two groups. Bangladesh, India and Maldives are placed in Group B, while Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka make up Group A.
The semi-finals are scheduled for June 3, with the final set to be held on June 6.
