Four Bangladesh national team footballers have been roped in by Bhutanese club Royal Thimphu College FC to play in the preliminary round of the first edition of the AFC Women鈥檚 Champions League, scheduled to be played from August 25 to August 31.
Bangladesh captain Sabina Khatun and midfielders Monika Chakma, Maria Manda, and Ritu Porna Chakma have already received permission from the Bangladesh Football Federation to participate in the competition.
鈥榃e鈥檝e already granted them [four players] permission to play in the AFC WCL鈥he BFF has offered them a sabbatical from August 10 to 31 to play for the Bhutanese side,鈥� BFF women鈥檚 wing chairperson Mahfuza Akhter Kiron informed the media on Thursday.
Bangladesh missed out on Asia鈥檚 premier women鈥檚 club cup competition because no club teams in the country鈥檚 women鈥檚 football league have an AFC club license, which is required to compete in the AFC WCL.
The preliminary stage will include 13 teams divided into four groups and hosted by Bhutan, Jordan, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia.
Royal Thimphu were placed in Group D alongside Iranian club Bam Khatoon FC and Hong Kong club Kitchee SC, where they will meet off on August 25 and 28, respectively.
Each group champion will advance to the 12-team group stage to be hosted by China, Thailand, and Vietnam, to be held from October 6 to 12.