Join us at the-AFC.com as we highlight the incredible efforts that were on display in recognition of the remarkable strides made by the AFC’s MAs in advancing the women’s game in Asia, while also encouraging more young girls and women to experience the power of the beautiful game.

BANGLADESH

The AFC Women’s Football Day 2025 was celebrated by over 400 young girls in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on March 8.

The event brought together young girls from diverse backgrounds at the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan, the national sports institute of the South Asian nation, where they were divided into groups, each introduced to a specific skill.

After learning basic skills, the participants engaged in small-sided games, after which they received participation certificates from Bangladesh Football Federation Executive Committee member Mahfuza Akhter.

The AFC Women’s Football Day 2025 was widely commemorated in Bhutan with approximately 450 girls aged between six and 16 participating in the event.

 

The activities, which were centred around the districts of Samtse and Paro, took place under two broad themes: “Breaking Barriers, Building Futures” and “Her Game, Her Future”, encouraging girls to play the sport.

 

In Paro, the Bhutan Football Federation, in collaboration with local schools, conducted small-sided games to introduce concepts of teamwork and collaboration while also educating them on the principles of gender equality.

 

Meanwhile, in Samtse, the celebrations were geared towards reviving interest among girls in the sport by helping them gain confidence through lessons on basic football drills such as dribbling, passing, and running with the ball.

 

The event was a huge success and saw widespread involvement of the local community, including teachers and parents, who helped reinforce the importance of creating more opportunities for female players in the region.

CHINESE TAIPEI

The annual event was observed over a whole week and across five regions in Chinese Taipei—namely, Taitung, Taichung, Yilan, Taipei, and Changhua—marking their grandest celebrations to date.

With 425 young girls taking part in the activities, participation saw a seven-fold increase from previous editions.

The Chinese Taipei Football Association (CTFA) received overwhelming support, with parents, teachers, and local coaches lending a helping hand, which allowed each locality to conduct activities best suited to regional needs.

Owing to the success of the event, the CTFA has pledged to expand celebrations to 10 regions in 2026 and encourage not just young children but also women of all ages to engage in exciting activities.

In Malaysia, the AFC Women’s Football Day 2025 was celebrated with great enthusiasm in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, on the Borneo island.

Organised by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), more than 100 girls aged between 11 and 16 gathered from across the state to be a part of the annual celebrations.

The day featured a range of football activities, including small-sided matches and fun games, providing young talents with the opportunity to develop their skills.

The event was attended by several dignitaries, including FAM Executive Committee Member and Women’s Committee Chairperson, Dato' Suraya Yaacob, who hailed the exemplary commitment shown by the young participants, most notably those who travelled long distances to take part in the festivities.

The Lao Football Federation (LFF) reinforced their commitment towards promoting women’s football in the region when it commemorated the AFC Women’s Football Day 2025 in collaboration with 10 local schools.

Taking place in the Saravan province of the Southeast Asian country, more than 200 girls benefitted from the event which focused on motivating girls under the age of 12 to nurture a love for the beautiful game through various activities.

Attended by several representatives of the LFF, the programme kicked off with an encouraging welcome address from FIFA Council member Kanya Keomany, after which the participating children received training on football drills.

Aiming to expand the reach of the game to as many young girls as possible, the LFF also organised friendly matches to raise awareness of tenets such as fair play and equality.

The Football Association of Singapore joined hands with the nation’s Breast Cancer Foundation to harness the power of the game as a force for good on the occasion of the AFC Women’s Football Day.

The celebrations also marked the beginning of the domestic women’s football season, which kicked off with the inaugural Women's Charity Football Festival, raising over USD 20,000.

The Jalan Besar Stadium provided the backdrop for the festivities, which featured not only exciting mini-tournaments for clubs and families but also workshops aimed at raising awareness of women’s health.

The Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) collaborated with the Northern Provincial Education Department to engage students from 15 schools in the Jaffna province in northern Sri Lanka in activities aimed at promoting the women’s game in the island nation.

More than 250 girls across various age groups were given the opportunity to take part in technical workshops under the guidance of experts from the FFSL.

Among the various activities conducted, the participants were especially thrilled to take part in small-sided games and social initiatives that highlighted the importance of community engagement.

Tajikistan’s Shahrinav district came alive with a football festival commemorating the 11th AFC Women’s Football Day.

More than 100 children got the opportunity to revel in day-long festivities, with activities ranging from football drills to age-appropriate small-sided games.

With popularising the game among girls being the primary goal, the event helped the children gain confidence and sparked an interest in participating in future editions.

On March 8, the Federação Futebol de Timor-Leste (FFTL) celebrated AFC Women’s Football Day at the Training Field in Lecidere in the capital city of Dili.

Over 200 participants, ranging from schoolgirls to coaches, referees, and government officials, commemorated the day to celebrate the growing momentum of women’s football in Timor-Leste.

With FFTL President Nilton Gusmão inaugurating the event, the festivities included a wide range of activities, including workshops that familiarised parents with child safeguarding concepts.

Yet another major highlight of the programme was a friendly game between teams from the domestic women’s league, organised to inspire the younger generation to instil a lifelong love for the game.

To celebrate the AFC Women’s Football Day 2025, the United Arab Emirates Football Association organised a Women's Football Festival for children in the U-14 category which saw as many as 12 teams, comprising close to 150 participants, take part in 10-minute-long matches.

With a total of 28 matches played, all participants received medals and certificates as a token of appreciation, while a special memento was awarded to the best player of each game and the team with the most wins.

The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), in collaboration with the Son La Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Son La Provincial Sports Training Centre, commemorated AFC Women’s Football Day 2025 with a vibrant celebration.

Having previously hosted the event in Hanoi and Ha Nam, Son La was a fitting venue for the 2025 edition, given its rich legacy in women’s football. The festivities featured a range of activities designed not only to enhance participants' physical fitness but also to uphold values of teamwork, discipline, and perseverance, shaping them to be well-rounded individuals.

Young female players had the opportunity to engage in skill-building exercises and team-based challenges, boosting their confidence and strengthening their sense of camaraderie.

As part of its commitment to youth development, the VFF also presented local youth teams with footballs, kits, and training equipment, further supporting their growth in the sport.