Nepal vs Laos: Nepal’s women’s football team will play their first match of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Qualification today against Laos. The Group F opening match is set to take place at Buniyodkor Stadium in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, kicking off at 6:15 PM Nepal time.
This game marks Nepal’s 100th international women’s football match, a proud milestone for the team and the country. The players are eager to start the qualifiers with a win and build momentum for the tournament ahead.
While Nepal’s men’s team has faced Laos several times, the women’s teams will meet for the first time today. According to FIFA rankings, Nepal stands at 100th and Laos at 107th. Both teams will face a new opponent, making the game more exciting and unpredictable.
Belgian coach Patrick De Wilde, with over two decades of international coaching experience, is leading the Nepal women’s team for the first time. This match will be his debut as head coach of Nepal’s senior women’s team.
The captain for Nepal has not yet been announced, with De Wilde choosing to select the team leader from players on the field during the match. Previously, goalkeeper Anjila Tumbapo Subba served as captain, but this time Nepal may see a new leader.
Group F includes hosts Uzbekistan, Laos, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. Nepal is undefeated against Sri Lanka in eight encounters but has never beaten the strong Uzbek team. Uzbekistan is considered the strongest contender in the group.
The team topping Group F will qualify for the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup and earn chances to participate in other major international tournaments.
Laos coach Chong Song Chong highlighted the competitiveness of all teams in the qualifiers. He mentioned that Laos’ men’s team recently defeated Nepal, and the women’s team hopes to replicate that success.
“We expect an exciting match, and we believe our women’s team can challenge Nepal strongly,” he said.
