The UNICEF-BFF Under-16 National Women’s Football Championship gets underway today at six separate venues with some 39 districts taking part in the first-ever competition funded by the UNICEF.

Rangpur, Gopalganj, Rashahi, Jashore, Khagrachari and Mymensingh will host the knockout-based preliminary round. The six venue champions and two best runners-up teams will advance to the eight-team final round.

“Bangladesh Football Federation is taking this tournament as a talent hunt programme, with BFF coaches scheduled to watch all the group-stage matches to pick players for a two-month training,” informed BFF women’s wing chairman Mahfuza Akter Kiron adding that they will select the players in three categories.

Each of the participating teams will get Tk 15,000 while teams will get Tk 5000 for each win.