Maria Manda named new captain of Bangladesh women's football team

Bangladesh are set to undergo a notable change in leadership as they gear up to defend their title at the upcoming SAFF Women's Championship.

Midfielder Maria Manda has been named the new captain for the tournament, which gets underway in Goa on 25 May, taking over from Afeida Khandaker.

Head coach Peter James Butler's decision to hand the armband to Maria reflects a tactical reshuffle aimed at keeping the team's performances on track.

Although Afeida had represented the side at a pre-tournament press conference in Dhaka, signs of the change had emerged as far back as the AFC U-20 Asian Cup in Thailand in March, when she was stripped of the captaincy mid-competition due to a dip in form.

The transition was all but confirmed during a recent friendly match in Thailand, where Maria led the side out as skipper.

Afeida's stint as captain, which began in 2023, was not without its highlights — most notably a shared title at the 2024 SAFF U-19 Championship and helping Bangladesh qualify for the AFC Women's Asian Cup.

Nevertheless, the Bangladesh Football Federation has placed its faith in Maria's experience and tactical nous to handle the demands of a title defence.

Bangladesh will kick off their bid for a third straight championship on 28 May against the Maldives.

With Maria leading the charge, the defending champions head into the tournament as clear favourites and will be looking to further entrench themselves as the standout force in South Asian women's football.