Sydney: Bangladesh women's football team have been drawn with defending champions China, North Korea, and Uzbekistan in Group B of their maiden AFC Women's Asian Cup campaign, which will be held in Australia from March 1-21, 2026. The 12 teams were drawn into three groups during a ceremony at the Sydney Town Hall. According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Bangladesh will want to make their mark in their debut appearance in the finals, having impressed in the Qualifiers. The Peter Butler charge sealed a historic maiden qualification for the continental battle earlier last month in Myanmar, topping Group C with an all-win record. If the team can perform well in this tournament, the Tigresses have a chance to play in the 2027 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games. Eight teams secured their tickets to the 21st edition after qualifiers that took place from June 23 to July 19. Bangladesh, Chinese Taipei, DPR Korea, India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Philippines, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam joined hosts Australia, a longside the top three finishers from the AFC Women's Asian Cup India 2022 - defending champions China, runners-up Korea Republic, and third-placed Japan, who all earned automatic qualification. Bangladesh can secure a ticket to the World Cup to be held in Brazil in 2027 if they finish the tournament among the top six teams. Although the task is challenging, the possibility remains since Bangladesh proved their capabilities by defeating relatively strong teams in the qualifiers stage. The top two teams from each group and the two best third-placed sides will advance to the quarter-finals. The four semi-finalists will book their tickets to the FIFA Women's World Cup Brazil 2027, while the losing sides from the quarter-finals will advance to the playoffs, where two more spots at the global showpiece will be at stake. Australia will feature in the opening match at the Perth Stadium on March 1, while the ultimate showdown for the coveted trophy will take place at Sydney's Stadium Australia on March 21.
