The Bangladesh women's national football team made history by qualifying for the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 for the first time. They dominated their Group C qualifiers in Yangon, Myanmar, with emphatic victories including a 7-0 win over Bahrain, a 2-1 win against Myanmar, and a 7-0 win over Turkmenistan, finishing the qualifiers with an all-win record. The team, ranked 128th by FIFA, defeated higher-ranked opponents Bahrain (ranked 92) and Myanmar (ranked 55), with 21-year-old forward Ritu Porna Chakma scoring two goals in the crucial win over Myanmar. Bangladesh's strong performance challenges their FIFA ranking and highlights their growing stature in women's football. Following their qualification, the Bangladesh Football Federation honored the team, and key players expressed hopes to compete on the global stage, including the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup and the 2028 Olympics. Meanwhile, the Indian women's football team also secured qualification for the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 by defeating host Thailand 2-1 in Chiang Mai, marking their first qualification through the qualifiers route in 22 years. Sangita Basfore scored both goals for India, which topped Group B with four wins out of four. Bangladesh's women's under-20 team continued their strong form by defeating Sri Lanka 9-1 in the SAFF Under-20 Women's Championship held in Bangladesh. These achievements reflect a growing momentum in South Asian women's football ahead of the AFC Women's Asian Cup finals scheduled for 2026 in Australia.