Debutants Rajshahi Stars completed a remarkable unbeaten campaign to lift the Bangladesh Women's Football League title, defeating Bangladesh Army 3-0 to seal the crown with a perfect 10 wins from 10 matches on Saturday.
While they required only a draw to become champions, Rajshahi chose to finish in emphatic fashion, underlining both their authority and the growing competitiveness of this year’s league.
Speaking after the match, Bangladesh captain Afeida Khandaker stressed how different this edition had felt compared to previous seasons. “Compared to the last three years, this year the league has been more competitive. Previously, the national team players were in one team or maybe two teams. This time, the national team players have been distributed across almost all teams, which has made the league more competitive.”
That redistribution of talent meant that even an eventual 3-0 win in the decisive match did not come without tension. Rajshahi Stars captain Sheuli Azim reflected on the challenge posed by Army, saying: “Football is unpredictable. No matter how good a team is, any team can be stopped. We saw in the World Cup that Argentina were stopped by Saudi Arabia. We kept that in mind when we took the field.”
Rajshahi’s flawless record might suggest dominance, but players insisted the campaign was far from straightforward. Winger Ritu Porna Chakma pointed to structural changes in the competition as a key factor behind the higher standard. “Yes, that was a positive aspect. Previously, the national team players were all in one team, so there was not much competition. After introducing the pool system and distributing players, the league became more competitive.”
Beyond the title celebrations, attention quickly turned to the upcoming continental assignment. Bangladesh will soon compete in the AFC Women's Asian Cup, where they are scheduled to face heavyweights including China and North Korea. For Afeida, the timing of a demanding domestic season could prove vital.
“It has been very beneficial because we have the Asian Cup ahead. If we can stay within matches and get game time, we can learn from our mistakes in matches -- where we are making errors -- and correct them to prepare ourselves for the Asia Cup,” she said. On the challenge awaiting in Australia, she added:
There have been comparisons with India’s more extensive preparations, but Azim dismissed suggestions of regret. “I would not call it a shortcoming. Considering our country’s context and economy, we cannot compare ourselves with India -- they are ahead of us in many ways. They have been able to arrange those matches, which is good on their part. If we could have done it, that would have been good too. But we have no complaints. The authorities are doing what they can for our benefit.”
