Under the guidance of new head coach Boris Borovik, the Turkmenistan women's national football team will compete in the Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers, which is starting in Myanmar.
By decision of the country's Football Federation, Borovik replaced Kamil Mingazov in this position, who was a pioneer in the development of women's football in Turkmenistan.
Boris Borovik, who will turn 46 on August 20, played as a footballer for various clubs including Ashgabat's "Nisa," "Gazchi" (Gazachak), Uzbek clubs "Andijan" and "Shurtan" (Karshi), as well as "Merv," "Ashgabat," and "Ahal." He won the national championship twice with "Nisa" (in 2001 and 2003) and a third time in 2008 with "Ashgabat."
After ending his playing career at age 32, Borovik worked in the technical department of the Turkmenistan Football Federation (TFF), served as manager for the men's and women's national futsal teams, and was part of the coaching staff for the futsal and football club "Kopetdag." Since 2025, he returned to the TFF to head the coaching education department. Since June 1 of this year, he has been the head coach of the Turkmenistan women's national football team.
The first major test for Borovik's team will be theAsian Cup 2026 Qualifiers, involving 34 teams divided into 8 groups.
According to the draw results, Turkmenistan was placed in Group C, where its opponents will be Myanmar, Bahrain, and Bangladesh. The group stage matches will take place from June 29 to July 5, 2025, in a centralized format in Yangon, Myanmar. This will be the debut of Turkmen women footballers in Asian Cup Qualifiers.
Before the tournament, the team, led by head coach Boris Borovik and his assistants Begench Garaev and Evgeniya Spirina, held preparatory training camps in the capital. The final squad of 22 players was confirmed, including 19 from Turkmen clubs and 3 from foreign clubs.
The team representing Turkmenistan in the Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers includes:
goalkeepers: Aisha Amanberdiyeva ("Dudulu," Turkiye), Amaliya Karapetyants ("Ahal"), Elnura Maksyutova ("Lebap")
field players: Leyli Atajanova, Maria Charyeva, Gulzada Hangulyeva, Angelina Zemskova (all "Altyn Tach"), Jeren Mamedova, Malika Mamedova, Aylar Berdiyeva, Pervana Gurbanova, Jemile Babaeva, Ejegul Durdyeva (all "Ahal"), Aisha Allaieva, Lachin Alymjanova (both "Lebap"), Merjen Bagshyeva, Leyli Batyrova, Shasenem Taganova, Halida Eshniyazova (all "Margiana"), Shaperi Shadurdyeva ("Balkan"), Maya Musatskaya ("Zhalgiris," Lithuania), and Lale Hayypova ("Istanbul Bilgi," Turkiye).
Winners of the eight groups will advance to the next round, joining the hosts of the final tournament—Australia—and the three best teams from the previous women's Asian Cup 2022 in India: the reigning champions China, runners-up South Korea, and bronze medalists Japan.
Thus, the final tournament of the 21st Asian Cup will feature the 12 best women's teams. It will be held from March 1 to 21, 2026, in three Australian cities—Sydney, Perth, and Gold Coast—at stadiums used for the 2023 Women's World Cup matches in Australia and New Zealand.
