Bangladesh win inaugural SAFF Women’s Futsal Championship
Bangladesh finish top of seven-nation league in Bangkok, marking return to international futsal after six-year hiatus
DHAKA, Bangladesh (MNTV) — Bangladesh have been crowned champions of the inaugural SAFF Women’s Futsal Championship, sealing the title with a dominant 14–2 victory over Maldives in Bangkok on Sunday.
The win capped a near-perfect league-format campaign in which Bangladesh topped the seven-nation standings with 16 points from six matches. Bhutan finished second with 11 points from five games. The final round match was played at Nonthaburi Stadium, where Bangladesh needed only a draw to secure the title.
Despite conceding an early goal in the third minute following a defensive mix-up, Bangladesh quickly asserted control. Captain Sabina Khatun equalized from a direct free-kick two minutes later and restored the lead soon after with another set-piece strike. From that point, Maldives struggled to contain Bangladesh’s high-tempo attacking play.
Bangladesh went into halftime leading 6–1, with goals coming in quick succession. Lipi Akhter scored twice in the first half, matching Sabina’s early brace. The second half saw an even heavier onslaught, as Bangladesh added eight more goals to complete one of the most lopsided scorelines of the tournament.
Sabina completed her hat-trick early in the second half and went on to score four goals overall. Further strikes came from Krishna Rani, Nilufa Yasmin, Meherun Akhter and Masura Parvin, underlining the depth of Bangladesh’s attacking options.
The title carries broader significance for Bangladesh, whose women’s futsal program has seen long interruptions. The team first appeared on the continental stage in 2018 at the Asian Championship under coach Golam Rabbani, before activities were suspended for nearly six years. The Bangladesh Football Federation revived the program late last year, organizing domestic and overseas training camps ahead of the regional tournament.
The women’s championship has been staged alongside the inaugural SAFF Men’s Futsal Championship, also in Bangkok. Maldives clinched the men’s title with 15 points from five matches, while Bangladesh finished fifth with seven points from six games.
For Bangladesh, the women’s triumph marks a landmark moment in the revival of futsal and signals growing competitiveness in South Asian women’s football beyond the traditional outdoor game.
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