Seven days into their preparations for next March's AFC Women's Asian Cup in Australia, Afeida Khandokar and her teammates are relishing the opportunity to train in a new, refreshing environment at the Korean Export Processing Zone (KEPZ) in Anwara, Chattogram.

The Bangladesh women's squad is mainly made up of U-17 players who recently competed in the SAFF U-17 Women's Championship, while the Chinese team features footballers from two universities, dominated by Yunnan Minzu University.

The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) has outlined a preliminary plan to arrange at least six international matches for the Bangladesh women's football team as part of their preparation for next year's AFC Women's Asian Cup in Australia. Among the fixtures, two friendlies against Thailand are scheduled for October.

Launched in 2015 with financial support from the Japan Football Association (JFA), the competition has served as a key scouting ground for the BFF.

Born with a serious eye condition (strabismus) that affects her depth perception, she was advised early on to stay away from football.

The Lionesses were whisked straight to 10 Downing Street, the working home of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer which was decked out in England flags.

Before their quarter-final defeat by Spain, Swiss fans held up a banner saying "Time to move mountains", but by then the hosts already had, making the knockout stage for the first time as a fever for women’s football swept the country -- and the continent.

In a freewheeling interview with The Daily Star's Atique Anam at the team hotel in Dhaka, the former West Ham United midfielder opened up about his football methodology, plans for the future, the shortcomings of the federation, men's football, and the controversies he has found himself in.

The Most Valuable Player of the recently concluded SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship talked to reporters on Tuesday.

"I have many emotions again. I feel relief, I feel happy -- it feels a bit surreal but we are here and we are going to the final," Wiegman said.

She started her first match of the tournament in last week's 3-1 win over Italy which secured top spot and nine points in Group B after her illness led to substitute appearances against Portugal and Belgium.

Hosts Bangladesh kept their impressive winning run intact in the SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship with an emphatic 3-0 win over Bhutan in their fourth match at the Bashundhara Kings practice ground today.

If results go as predicted, Bangladesh could all but seal the title before that final showdown, needing only a draw against Nepal on the last matchday.

Midfielder Shanti Mardi scored a hattrick while Munki Akter added one as Bangladesh cruised to a 4-1 victory over Bhutan in their SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship fixture inside the Bashundhara Residential Area on Tuesday, consolidating the top-spot in the four-team competition with a third win in three matches.

Bangladesh made an emphatic start to their title defence of the SAFF U-20 Women's Championship with a 9-1 win against Sri Lanka at the Bashundhara Kings Arena on Friday.

If winning the SAFF Championship in 2022 and 2024 warranted the Bangladesh women’s team an open-top bus parade, what would be a proportionally appropriate celebration for the miracle they have just pulled off in Myanmar?

Unless reconciliation happens -- unless Butler and the BFF work to reintegrate the veterans and unify the squad -- Bangladesh could head into the Asian qualifiers at risk of squandering hard-won momentum.

All 18 Bangladesh Women’s team footballers who had revolted against head coach Peter Butler have recently been brought under the central contract of the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF).

After four players left to play for Paro FC in the Bhutan National Women's League on April 6, five more footballers have left Dhaka for the Bhutanese capital on Sunday morning.

Section 144 imposed around the venue in Rangpur