Bangladesh Women’s National Football Team have received a major boost ahead of their historic debut at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, with Sweden-born midfielder Anika Rania Siddiqui earning a place in the 26-member final squad.
Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) sources confirmed that head coach Peter Butler has submitted the final list to the federation, and 20-year-old Anika is among the selected players who will travel to Australia for the continental showpiece.
Born and raised in Sweden, Anika holds a Bangladeshi passport, making her eligible to represent Bangladesh at international level. She arrived in Dhaka in January to attend a trial during the national team’s training camp and trained for several days under Australian fitness coach Cameron Lord. After completing her initial assessment, Anika returned to Sweden but is expected to rejoin the squad in Dhaka within the next few days before the team’s departure.
Anika primarily operates as a midfielder and winger and has already taken important steps in her club career in Europe. Earlier this month, she made her senior debut in the Swedish Cup for IF Brommapojkarna, one of Sweden’s top-flight clubs, underlining her growing profile.
Her inclusion is expected to add depth, pace, and versatility to Bangladesh’s midfield and attacking options as the team prepares to face some of Asia’s strongest sides.
Also included in the final squad is in-form forward Alpi Akter, who recently impressed in the SAFF Under-19 Women’s Championship, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with seven goals in four matches and winning the Best Player award.
The AFC Women’s Asian Cup will begin on 1 March across three Australian cities. Bangladesh have been drawn in a challenging group alongside China, North Korea, and Uzbekistan.
For Bangladesh, the tournament marks a historic first appearance at Asia’s premier women’s football competition, and the inclusion of emerging talents like Anika signals the team’s intent to compete with confidence on the continental stage.
Bd-pratidin English/ ANI
