Bangladesh open their Asian Games women’s football campaign against North Korea at 13:00 BST on 14 September – the same opponent who beat them 5-0 six months ago at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup. Group F then adds South Korea, making this the hardest draw Peter Butler’s side could have received.
The third fixture is where the tournament is actually decided. Here are all three Group F matches, what recent form says about each, and every kick-off in Bangladesh Standard Time.
Bangladesh’s Group F Fixtures in BST
All three Bangladesh matches are at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, and all three kick off at 16:00 Japan time. Japan is three hours ahead of Bangladesh, so every one converts to 13:00 BST.
| Date | Fixture | Japan | Bangladesh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 14 Sep | Bangladesh vs North Korea | 16:00 | 13:00 BST |
| Thu 17 Sep | Bangladesh vs South Korea | 16:00 | 13:00 BST |
| Mon 21 Sep | Bangladesh vs Myanmar | 16:00 | 13:00 BST |
A 13:00 BST kick-off is the friendliest slot Bangladeshi fans get all year – early afternoon, no overnight alarm. That alone makes this Asian Games women’s football campaign easier to follow at home than most overseas tournaments.
The North Korea Rematch That Opens Bangladesh’s Asian Games Women’s Football
This fixture has recent history, and it is not encouraging.
The two sides met in Group B of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in March 2026, and North Korea won 5-0. They are one of the most decorated women’s sides in Asia, with a youth pipeline that has produced repeated continental and world age-group titles.
So the realistic objective on 14 September is not a result – it is the scoreline. In a format where third place can still qualify, goal difference across the groups becomes a tiebreaker, and there is a meaningful gap between losing 1-0 and losing 5-0.
That makes this the most important unwinnable match of the Asian Games women’s football group stage. Damage limitation here directly shapes what happens on 21 September.
Asian Games Women’s Football: Format and Qualification
Asian Games women’s football has twelve teams, split into three groups of four:
| Group E | Group F | Group G |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | South Korea | China |
| Chinese Taipei | North Korea | Philippines |
| Vietnam | Bangladesh | Uzbekistan |
| Thailand | Myanmar | Hong Kong |
The competition runs from 14 September to 2 October 2026 across four Japanese host cities.
Each Asian Games women’s football group plays a round-robin. The top two in every group reach the quarter-finals, and the best third-placed sides fill the remaining spots. With only three groups feeding an eight-team knockout, third place is genuinely live rather than a consolation and that is the entire basis of Bangladesh’s route.
Asian Games Women’s Football Form: The Asian Cup Debut
Bangladesh qualified for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup for the first time in their history in 2025, a genuine landmark for the programme. The tournament itself, in Australia in March 2026, was a hard lesson.
| Date | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Mar 2026 | China | 0-2 |
| — | North Korea | 0-5 |
| 9 Mar 2026 | Uzbekistan | 0-4 |
Three defeats, eleven goals conceded and none scored. Group B was brutal China are defending champions and North Korea perennial contenders but the goalless return is the number that matters going into this Asian Games women’s football campaign.
Set against that, the qualifying run tells a different story. Bangladesh beat Myanmar 2-1 in the Asian Cup qualifiers. That result is the most relevant evidence available for 21 September, and it is why the third fixture is winnable. Live scores and lineups are on FotMob, with official results and the medal table on the Olympic Council of Asia site.
Why the Myanmar Match Decides Everything
Work through the Asian Games women’s football arithmetic and the picture is clear.
If both Koreas beat Bangladesh and Myanmar the expected outcome then Bangladesh and Myanmar finish third and fourth, settled by their head-to-head on 21 September. Bangladesh have already beaten this opponent once in competitive football.
That gives Peter Butler’s side three concrete objectives:
- Beat Myanmar. Third in Group F puts Bangladesh in the running for a best-third-place quarter-final berth.
- Keep the Korea defeats narrow. If third places are ranked on goal difference, a 1-0 loss and a 5-0 loss are entirely different outcomes.
- Score at least once. Bangladesh did not score at the Asian Cup, and goals scored is a standard tiebreaker.
This is why the first two fixtures are not dead rubbers. In a format where third place can advance, the margin of a defeat carries real weight a point missed in most Asian Games women’s football previews.
Peter Butler and the Asian Games Women’s Football Squad
Englishman Peter Butler remains head coach, and his tenure covers the most successful and the most turbulent period in the team’s history. He took Bangladesh to their first Asian Cup qualification. He also weathered a January 2025 revolt in which eighteen senior players, including long-serving captain Sabina Khatun, submitted a formal complaint to the BFF; the dispute was resolved that March.
The squad that reached the Asian Cup was built around midfielders Monika Chakma, Maria Manda and Sapna Rani, with Tohura Khatun and Mosammat Sagorika in attack. Sabina Khatun remains the country’s record cap holder on 61 appearances.
A final Asian Games women’s football squad had not been published when this page went live. We will list it in full as soon as the BFF confirms it. For the men’s side, our Bangladesh national football team guide covers the 2026-27 fixtures, Hamza Choudhury and Thomas Dooley’s squad.
The Knockout Rounds
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Quarter-finals | 25 September |
| Semi-finals | 29 September |
| Bronze and gold medal matches | 2 October |
Reaching the Asian Games women’s football quarter-finals on 25 September would be the best result in the programme’s history. Japan, China and both Koreas are the established medal contenders, so a last-eight place is a realistic ceiling rather than a disappointment. Knockout kick-off times are confirmed once the group standings are final. Bangladesh’s cricketers are at the same Games defending double bronze full detail in our Asian Games cricket schedule guide.
Live Coverage and How to Follow
No Bangladeshi broadcaster had been confirmed at the time of writing. Regional Asian Games coverage has run through Sony Sports Network and the SonyLIV app, so check your local operator’s listings closer to 14 September we will update this page once a Bangladesh listing is announced.
Our top lists section ranks the players to watch, and more coverage sits in our football section.
The match centre lists every fixture with Bangladesh kick-off times.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Bangladesh’s first Asian Games women’s football match?
14 September 2026 against North Korea, at 13:00 BST.
Have Bangladesh played North Korea before this Asian Games women’s football tie?
Yes. North Korea beat them 5-0 in Group B of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in March 2026.
Which Asian Games women’s football group are Bangladesh in?
Group F, with South Korea, North Korea and Myanmar.
What time are the matches in Bangladesh?
All three group games kick off at 16:00 Japan time, which is 13:00 BST — Japan is three hours ahead.
Where are Bangladesh playing their Asian Games women’s football matches?
All three Group F fixtures are at Nagai Stadium in Osaka.
How do teams qualify from an Asian Games women’s football group?
The top two in each of the three groups reach the quarter-finals, joined by the best third-placed sides to complete the last eight.
Who coaches Bangladesh in Asian Games women’s football?
Peter Butler, who led the team to their first AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualification.
Are the Bangladesh men’s team at the Asian Games?
No. Bangladesh are represented in the women’s football tournament only.
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