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All Nepal Football Association president Pankaj Bikram Nembang (L) and the SAFF general secretary Anwarul Haque Helal are seen during the draw ceremony of the SAFF Women鈥檚 Championship 2024 in Dhaka on Saturday. | BFF photo

Defending champions Bangladesh have been placed in Group A alongside five-time champions India and Pakistan for the seventh edition of the SAFF Women鈥檚 Championship to be held in Nepal from October 17 to 30.

Group B was comprised of hosts Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Bhutan, as the draw ceremony of the seven-team competition was held after SAFF鈥檚 ordinary congress in Dhaka on Saturday.


The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals.

Bangladesh lifted their maiden SAFF championship title in September 2022 after beating hosts Nepal 3-1 in the final in Kathmandu, while India have clinched the remaining five titles since its inception in 2010.

As part of their preparation for the tournament, Bangladesh women鈥檚 team have recently played a two-match FIFA international friendly series against Chinese Taipei (40), who are 100 places ahead of Bangladesh (140) in the current FIFA rankings.

Though Peter Butler鈥檚 charges suffered a crushing 0-4 loss in the first match, they put in an improved performance in the second one, where they lost by a solitary goal.

The Bangladesh Football Federation is now trying to send the team to Lebanon to compete in a four-nation tournament in July.

鈥楾he four nations are likely to be the hosts: Lebanon, Bangladesh, Jordan, and Nepal. We are now on discussion with Lebanon. And if everything goes well, we will send our team in July,鈥� BFF women鈥檚 wing chairman Mahfuza Akter Kiron told reporters on the sidelines after the congress.

However, the draw of the SAFF Under-20 and SAFF Under-17 boys championships 2024 were also held during the programme.

Bangladesh, hosts Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka were placed in Group A, while defending champions India, the Maldives, and Bhutan were placed in Group B for the U-20 championship to be held from August 16 to 28.

The U-17 championship will be held in Bhutan from September 18 to 28, and Bangladesh were placed in Group A with defending champions India and the Maldives, while Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka were placed in Group B.