The South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) are celebrating their best start to a FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification campaign following the qualification of Bangladesh and India for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026.

Bangladesh’s and India’s successful campaigns mean the SAFF will have two representatives in the Asian Cup, which also serves as the first stage of FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027™ qualification, for the first time in 27 years and only the second time ever. The last edition to feature two South Asian teams was in the Philippines in 1999 when India and Nepal represented the region.

Notably, this year was the first time all seven SAFF member associations – Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – competed in FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification, showcasing the growth and heightened participation levels of women’s football in the region.

“To see record numbers qualify for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup is a fantastic achievement, and for all seven SAFF nations to enter qualification for the first time is an important milestone,” said Simon Toselli, FIFA Women's Football Technical Expert.

“The historic results from SAFF nations are a perfect example of what can be achieved when a member association engages with FIFA programmes. To have so many nations from one region break records is testament to how passionate the region is for football and how determined the member associations are to grow the women’s game.

“Looking forward, we have identified development programmes that link with the strategic objectives of many SAFF member associations and will be working closely with them to continue the growth of women’s football in the region.”

For Bangladesh, it is their first ever qualification for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, which will take place in Australia in next year. The rise of their women’s team has been rapid: from having never won a game in Asian Cup qualifiers to an undefeated 2025 campaign to secure their spot.

This progress is testament to the recent work of the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), and their engagement in FIFA programmes. The BFF recently launched their first strategy dedicated to women’s football titled, “Empower her: 2024-2027”, with clear direction, specific objectives and targeted actions to achieve their goals.

“FIFA played a pivotal role in empowering the Bangladesh Women’s National Football Team (BengalTigresses) to reach their first-ever qualification for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in 2026 through sustained financial support and structural development,” explained BFF President Tabith Awal, whose country have won the last two SAFF Women’s Championships, a tournament that has benefitted from funding from the FIFA Forward Development Programme.

“FIFA's emphasis on women’s football has also helped to create awareness in Bangladesh, which led to a huge surge in the fanbase. With such huge support, it was only natural for the women’s team players to feel empowered and gain confidence.”

India also had a perfect record, earning their first qualification in 23 years and helping ease the heartache of 2022, when they qualified automatically as hosts but were forced to withdraw after 12 of their players tested positive for COVID-19.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has been one of the best examples of what can be achieved when collaborating with FIFA programmes. The Indian Women’s League (IWL) started with just 25 clubs and 281 players when it was launched in 2016 with the help of the initial cycle of FIFA Forward funding, but had already grown to 104 clubs and more than 1,200 players by its third season and continues to flourish.

Following the launch of Vision 47, which aims for India to be a top-four nation in Asia by 2047, their first three-year cycle (2023-2026) has seen women’s football grow impressively thanks to a focus on both grassroots and national league levels. The grassroots focus included a series of festivals held in all corners of India, looking to increase participation and attract new players to league football. At national level, in addition to further extending and expanding the IWL, the AIFF has held workshops for first division coaches.

“The All India Football Federation extends its sincere gratitude and appreciation to FIFA for its continued support over the past two cycles through the FIFA Forward Programme. This support has been focal in the development of women's leagues, the FIFA Women’s Football Development Programme including capacity building for administrators, coach education scholarships, women's football strategy, and promotional campaigns,” said AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey.

“We are proud to share that our senior women's national team recently qualified for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup after a gap of 23 years, a significant milestone for Indian football. We credit FIFA’s support as one of the key contributors to this achievement.”

He noted hosting the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in 2022 had led to a 232% increase in girls registering to play football: “The tournament brought some of the world’s brightest young talents to Indian soil, inspiring a new generation of girls and strengthening our talent pipeline, which is now contributing to the national team.”

The SAFF almost had a third nation qualify with Nepal only falling to Uzbekistan on penalties after both teams finished top of their group on points, goal difference and goals scored. Nepal’s Sabitra Bhandari was joint-top goalscorer in qualification with nine goals.

Though the other four teams also failed to qualify, it was still a milestone campaign for Bhutan, Pakistan and Sri Lanka as they entered qualification for the first time. Entry for these three MAs represents genuine progress as women’s football programmes in these nations continue to grow.

The AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 kicks-off in Australia on 1 March 2026. The top six teams will qualify directly for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 while two more teams will earn a spot at the inter-confederation play-offs.

Bangladesh have been drawn in Group B with DPR Korea, China and Uzbekistan. India will play in Group C against Japan, Vietnam and Chinese Taipei.