Bangkok, Thailand: Maldives Women’s Futsal Team concluded their campaign at the inaugural SAFF Women’s Futsal Championship following a 14–2 defeat to eventual champions Bangladesh in the final league-round match on Sunday in Bangkok.
The tournament marked Maldives’ debut in an international women’s futsal competition, providing valuable exposure and experience against some of the strongest teams in South Asia. While results did not go in their favour, the championship offered an important platform for growth and development for the Maldivian side.
Bangladesh, who went on to lift the first-ever SAFF Women’s Futsal Championship trophy, dominated the competition from start to finish. They topped the seven-team standings with 16 points from six matches, remaining unbeaten with five wins and a draw against Bhutan.
In the final match, Bangladesh adopted an aggressive attacking approach from the opening whistle, pressing high and moving the ball quickly to keep Maldives under sustained pressure. Despite Bangladesh’s early dominance, Maldives took the lead when Raniya Ibrahim’s effort was parried into her own net by Bangladesh's Masura Parvin.
However, Bangladesh responded decisively, capitalising on defensive lapses to take control of the match. Captain Sabina Khatun led by example, scoring four goals in the encounter and finishing the tournament as the top scorer with 14 goals. Bangladesh’s attacking efficiency was matched by their defensive organisation, with goalkeeper Swapna Akhter Jhili playing a key role throughout the tournament.
Maldives continued to show determination until the final whistle and were rewarded late in the match when Mariyam Noora scored their second goal in the closing moments.
Bangladesh ended the tournament having scored 38 goals and conceded only nine, underlining their dominance. Over the course of the championship, they recorded victories against India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, and Maldives, along with a draw against Bhutan.
India finished the tournament in second place with 12 points, followed by Bhutan in third with 11 points. Nepal ended their campaign with 10 points, Pakistan with seven, and Sri Lanka with four. Maldives completed the competition without registering a point from six matches, but gained invaluable experience in their first appearance at this level.
For Maldives, the championship represented an important step in the development of women’s futsal, laying a foundation for future progress on the regional stage.
