South Asian Women’s Club football championship: Watershed event

The ongoing first ever South Asian Football  Federation Women’s Club championship in Kathmandu is  a watershed event in the  history of  women’s football in South Asia.

Indeed, it is a privilege for Nepal  to host the inaugural edition.The tournament is organized by the South Asian Football Federation ( SAFF)  and managed by the All Nepal Football Association(ANFA).

At long last the highly anticipated tournament is now a reality as it  has kicked off,generating lots of excitement and buzz. 

As a matter of fact, the start of the championship caught sports enthusiasts  by complete  surprise. 

Given limited  media publicity the tournament  received they did not expect it to happen this soon.Nonetheless, they are buoyant,excited and thrilled about the event.

SAFF deserves a round of applause for envisioning a competition of this magnitude and  finally getting it started with the sole objective to boost the development and promotion of women’s football in South Asia.

Of the seven regional champions of their  respective national leagues,the competition features five  clubs from Armed Police Force Football Club (Nepal),East Bengal Football Club(India),Transport United  Football  Club (Bhutan), Nasrin Sports Academy (Bangladesh) and Karachi City Football Club (Pakistan). Missing in the list  are teams from Sri Lanka and Maldives. Some of the teams playing rosters boast of foreign players as well.

The participating  clubs in the competition are ranked  based on their Asian Football Confederation Club points and their respective  national teams FIFA rankings.

Heavy favorites East Bengal  is the top  seed, followed by Armed Police  Force,Nasrin,Transport United and Karachi City respectively .

The tournament is being played in a round robin format. The top two teams finishing  first  and second in points standings at the end  of the round will clash  for the championship match.

Given the increasing popularity of women’s football in the region, the start of the SAFF club championship  can be considered a major breakthrough when it comes to shaping the future of the sport.

Furthermore, it is most likely to help the development and  progress of women’s football take   strides going forward.

 

Unquestionably, it is  bound to further popularize, promote, solidify and foster  long term growth of women’s football in  the region.

More importantly, it should appeal to the much needed potential stakeholders, convincing them to support  and invest  in the sport.

Additionally,the competition provides upcoming young aspiring footballers across the region a perfect platform to showcase their footballing skills,play  against the best in the region and gain valuable exposure.

In the context of Nepal,the competition assumes greater significance. Keeping in mind,the increasing popularity of women’s  football in the country,the steady progress in terms  of performance the national teams across all age groups have made,coupled with a good number of players  who are playing for foreign clubs, the championship provides them the opportunity to further work on their  game, hone their skills and master the finer points of the sport.

Furthermore,it  will motivate and inspire young upcoming players across  the country to embrace the sport seriously to achieve their  career aspirations and represent the national team internationally.

That being said, foremost it is imperative for  ANFA to create and maintain a conducive environment  and  show full support in order for women’s football to develop,thrive and sustain and move in the right direction .

They have to provide solid grassroots structures, sustainable long-term development, meaningful investment, high quality coaching staff,opportunities and  exposure to players,necessary facilities and infrastructures, professionalization  and strengthening of the league.