Nepal hopes to finally win the SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship title

 Nepal’s U-20 women’s national football team is in the final stages of training for the upcoming SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship, which will be held in Dhaka, Bangladesh from July 11 to 21.

Only four countries are competing this year: hosts and defending champions Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka. With such a small number of teams, the tournament will follow a double round-robin format—each team plays the others twice, and the team with the highest points will take home the trophy.

Nepal is determined to win its first SAFF title in the U-20 category. The team is being coached by Yam Prasad Gurung, who believes this squad is the strongest Nepal has had in recent years.

Aiming for History

Nepal has previously won the SAFF title at the U-15 level, but has yet to taste victory in the U-19 or U-20 categories. Gurung says this year’s team is aiming to end that drought.

“We are preparing to become champions. With India not participating, Bangladesh will be our biggest challenge,” he said.

This championship also serves as preparation for the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers, which will be held in Bhutan from August 2 to 10. Nepal has been grouped with North Korea, Bhutan, Mongolia, and Saudi Arabia in Group A.

Stronger Preparation This Time

Coach Gurung says the team is in good shape thanks to longer training and a more structured selection process. Initial trials were held in Surkhet, Jhapa, and Kathmandu, with 60 players shortlisted and a final squad of 23 chosen.

“We selected players from across the country and finalized our team. We’ve also included three new players who haven’t played in age-group tournaments before,” Gurung said.

Unlike previous years, the team had 45 days to train and prepare strategies for each opponent. Gurung says this extra time has helped build both physical fitness and tactical discipline.

Most Complete Team Yet

Although there are no players from the senior national team this time, many of the current squad members played in last year’s U-19 SAFF tournament. Gurung believes this continuity is a major advantage.

“These players have experience at U-15, U-17, and U-19 levels. They’ve also been active in domestic competitions, which has helped improve their fitness and game understanding,” he said. “They’re motivated and ready. This is the most well-rounded team we’ve had—strong not just individually but as a unit.”

The Final Squad

The team includes returning players like Barsha Oli, Sujata Tamang, Sukriya Miya, Simran Rai, Samiksha Magar, Lila Joshi, Senu Pariyar, Birsana Chaudhary, Maya Maske, Jhuma Bishwakarma, Purnima Rai, Sushila KC, Sarita Kumari Nath, Sita Rokaya, Ganga Rokaya, and Karuna Budhathoki.

Also on the team are Kusum Khatri, who has played in previous youth tournaments, and Meena Deuba, known for her strong performances in domestic football.

Coach Gurung and the squad are hopeful this will be the year Nepal finally lifts the SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship trophy.