Sunday, 5th April 2026
Khabor Wala Desk
Published: 23rd July 2025, 6:49 PM
For the first time in history, the Bangladesh women’s national football team will take part in the final stage of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, marking a historic debut on the Continental stage. The tournament will be held across Sydney, Perth, and Gold Coast, Australia, from 1st to 21st March 2026, with 12 national teams set to compete for Asia’s most prestigious women’s football crown.
| Event | Details |
| Draw Date | 29 July 2025 |
| Venue | Sydney Town Hall, Australia |
| Host Nation | Australia |
| Tournament Dates | 1–21 March 2026 |
| Participating Teams | 12 |
The official Final Draw will divide the 12 teams into three groups of four. The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will progress to the knockout stage.
The line-up of 12 teams was completed on Saturday following the conclusion of the Qualifiers, with Islamic Republic of Iran claiming the final berth. The qualifiers were held across eight centralised groups from 23 June to 19 July.
| Team | Qualification Path |
| Australia | Hosts, automatic qualification |
| China PR | Defending champions (2022) |
| Korea Republic | Runners-up (2022) |
| Japan | Third place (2022) |
| IR Iran | Group A winners |
| India | Group B winners, first appearance since 2003 |
| Bangladesh | Group C winners, tournament debutants |
| Chinese Taipei | Group D winners |
| Vietnam | Group E winners |
| Uzbekistan | Group F winners, first appearance since 2003 |
| Philippines | Group G winners, semi-finalists in 2022 |
| DPR Korea | Group H winners, returning after 2010 |
| Team | Significance |
| Bangladesh | First-ever qualification, topped Group C ahead of Bahrain, Myanmar, Turkmenistan |
| IR Iran | Second appearance; aiming to advance beyond group stage |
| India | Return after 23 years; runners-up in 1980 & 1983 |
| Uzbekistan | Sixth appearance; seeking first-ever knockout berth |
| DPR Korea | Return after 16 years; three-time champions (1990, 1993, 2001) |
| Team | Legacy |
| China PR | 9-time champions, defending title from 2022 |
| Japan | Champions in 2014 & 2018, only Asian side to win FIFA Women’s World Cup |
| Korea Republic | 14th consecutive appearance; aiming for first-ever title |
| Australia | Champions in 2010; seeking to reclaim title on home soil under coach Joe Montemurro |
Seeding for the Final Draw is based on the FIFA Women’s World Rankings (as of 12 June 2025):
| Pot | Teams |
| Pot 1 | Australia (15), Japan (7), DPR Korea (9) |
| Pot 2 | China PR (17), Korea Republic (21), Vietnam (37) |
| Pot 3 | Philippines (41), Chinese Taipei (42), Uzbekistan (51) |
| Pot 4 | IR Iran (68), India (70), Bangladesh (128) |
With Bangladesh placed in Pot 4, they are expected to face formidable opposition in the group stage. Nonetheless, their qualification alone marks a watershed moment for women’s football in South Asia.
As Los Angeles gears up for the 2028 Olympics, all eyes in the Asian football community will first turn to Australia next March, where the continent’s top female footballers will battle for regional glory.
Comments