Rituparna Chakma leads squad to Nagoya ahead of Games

Bangladesh's women's football team has become the first contingent from the country to arrive in Japan ahead of the Asian Games, with Rituparna Chakma and her teammates touching down in Nagoya on Friday night to complete their final preparations for the tournament.

The team flew from Guangzhou, China, to Nagoya, reaching the airport around 9 pm local time before proceeding by bus to Osaka, their designated venue for the competition. The squad had spent upwards of a week in Guangzhou honing their preparations for the Games. Meanwhile, Nabiran Khatun sustained an injury during a warm-up match and is unlikely to feature in the tournament, prompting the Bangladesh Football Federation to seek a replacement from among the players currently in Dhaka.

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Bangladesh will compete across 22 disciplines at the Games. Although the country has participated in the Asian Games since 1978, its men's football team will not feature on this occasion. The women's team made its Asian Games debut at the 2023 Hangzhou edition, meaning this will mark their second appearance in the continental competition.