Bangladesh Under-17 women鈥檚 football team head coach Saiful Bari Titu admitted that his charges will face a tough challenge against stronger opponents Jordan and Chinese Taipei in their AFC U-17 Women鈥檚 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers in Jordan from October 13 to 17.
Bangladesh, who are pitted in Group H, face Jordan in the group opener at the Aqaba Stadium on October 13 before facing Chinese Taipei at the same venue on October 17.
鈥楾he opponent teams are far ahead of us. So, challenging them will be our main target,鈥� said Titu during a press conference while announcing a 23-member squad at the Bangladesh Football Federation on Saturday.
Midfielder Puja Chakma and defender Mishu Rani were the newcomers in the squad, while Joba Rani and Tania Akter Fomi were dropped from the previous squad.
Bangladesh will depart for Dubai today to participate in two friendly matches against Syria and the UAE on October 7 and 9. This is part of their preparations for the qualifiers, after which they will travel to Jordan on October 10.
A total of 27 teams divided into eight groups 鈥� three of four teams and five of three 鈥� will play the single-leg format qualifiers in eight centralised venues across Asian countries.
The eight group champions will be joined by the four AFC representatives from the FIFA U-17 Women鈥檚 World Cup in Morocco 2025, which have qualified automatically. These teams are North Korea, Japan, South Korea, and China, collectively forming a line-up of 12 teams.
The 10th edition of the AFC U17 Women鈥檚 Asian Cup will be held in China from April 30 to May 17, 2026.
However, the country鈥檚 first FIFA female referee and an AFC A-licensed coach, Jaya Chakma, was named as one of two assistant coaches for the mission.
It will be the first assignment as a coaching staff with BFF for Jaya, who served the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan for eight years as the football coach from 2016 to 2024 before achieving an AFC A-license in 2025.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Meghla Rani Roy, Yearzan Begum, Ishita Tripura; Defenders: Shiuly Roy, Arifa Akter, Sorovi Rani, Arpita Biswas (captain), Kranuching Marma, Mishu Rani, Amena Khatun; Midfielders: Umma Kulsum, Thuinu Marma, Fatema Akter, Puja Chakma, Almina, Reya, Momita Khatun; Forwards: Monami Chakma, Alpi Akter, Protima Rani, Purnima Marma, Sauravi Akanda Prity, Resme Akhter.