The Sri Lankan women’s football team faced a challenging campaign at the 2024 SAFF Women’s Championship, showing potential but ultimately exiting the tournament in the group stage. The team, trained for less than two months and with no friendly matches leading up to the tournament, competed against seasoned teams despite these setbacks.
The tournament started promisingly for Sri Lanka as they secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory against the Maldives, thanks to a debut goal by rising star Imesha. However, the momentum faltered in the subsequent matches. Facing Bhutan, the team suffered a 4-1 defeat. Their final group match against Nepal ended in a 6-0 loss, marking the end of their tournament journey.
Unlike other nations, Sri Lanka lacks domestic tournaments for women’s football, and the team’s limited preparation time highlighted this gap. With longer training and practice games against international teams, the Sri Lankan squad could have been better positioned to compete.
Many sports analysts and fans have called for increased support for women’s football in Sri Lanka, including establishing a domestic league and investing in regular training and friendly matches. The dedication shown by the Sri Lankan team, despite the odds, underscores the need for sustainable development of women’s football in the country to ensure competitive performances on the international stage.
