Women's football in Bangladesh

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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.banglatribune.com/sport/football/403617/%E0%A6%AF%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%81-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%87%E0%A7%9F%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AB%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%A5%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE|date=1 January 2022|access-date=1 February 2025|language=bn|title=যেভাবে শুরু মেয়েদের ফুটবলের পথচলা|website=Bangla Tribune}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/sports/football/news/the-rise-and-rise-womens-football-3126531|title=The rise and rise of women's football|date=24 September 2022|access-date=1 February 2025|website=The Daily Star}}

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.

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).{{Cite web|url=https://www.prothomalo.com/sports/football/%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%87-%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%8F%E0%A6%87-%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A8-2|title=সেই দিন এই দিন|language=bn|date=7 September 2016|access-date=1 February 2025|website=Prothomalo}} 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/sport/football/355360/inspiring-neighbors-amid-financial-shortfall|date=20 August 2024|title=Inspiring neighbors amid financial shortfall|access-date=1 February 2025|website=Dhaka Tribune}} The BFF also launched the BFF Elite Female Academy and received a One Star Recognition as part of the AFC Elite Youth Scheme.{{Cite web|url=https://bff.com.bd/news/bff-elite-female-academy-gets-a-one-1-star-recognition|date=7 March 2022|access-date=1 February 2025|title=BFF Elite Female Academy gets a One (1) Star Recognition|website=BFF}} The Bangamata U-19 Women's International Gold Cup was also established in 2019, as the country's first international women's football tournament.{{cite web|url=https://www.daily-sun.com/printversion/details/361285|title=U-19 Bangamata Gold Cup Football Tournament in April|website=Daily Sun|date=2 January 2019|accessdate=18 January 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/sports/football/news/womens-football-success-challenges-and-impact-beyond-the-pitch-1729960|title=Women’s Football: Success, challenges and impact beyond the pitch|date=15 April 2019|access-date=1 February 2025|website=The Daily Star}}

• 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.{{Cite web|url=https://bdnews24.com/amp/story/sport/rangamati-clinch-women-s-football-championship-title|date=15 December 2007|title=Rangamati clinch women's football championship title|access-date=1 February 2025|website=bdnews24.com}}

• The National Women's Championship (2009–2016) was contested by districts and government institutions, with Citycell sponsoring its innaugural season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-73523|title=Citycell Women's Nat'l Football from today|date=30 January 2009|access-date=1 February 2025|website=The Daily Star}}

• The Dhaka Metropolis Women's School Football Championship (2008–2010) was a inter-school football tournament contested by schools in Dhaka.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-93458|title=Women's School Football|date=20 June 2009|access-date=1 February 2025|website=The Daily Star}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-61427|title=Aga Khan lift title|date=2 November 2008|access-date=1 February 2025|website=The Daily Star}}

• 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/sport/football/134601/rise-of-the-bangladesh-girls|date=4 January 2018|title=Rise of the Bangladesh girls|access-date=1 February 2025|website=Dhaka Tribune}}

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

• Bangladesh women's national football team

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

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.rsssf.org/tablesb/bang-womchamp.html Bangladesh - List of Women Champions] at RSSSF

{{Football in Bangladesh}}

{{Women's football in Asia}}

Category:Football in Bangladesh