Banaat FC’s first international campaign reached the semi-final stage in Jordan, bringing new experiences, challenges and memories — and leaving the club with plenty to build on.
📅 Monday 3 August 2026
📍 Prince Mohammed Stadium, Zarqa, Jordan
🏆 WAFF Women’s Club Championship – Semi-Final
After finishing top of Group A on goal difference, Banaat FC advanced to the semi-finals of the WAFF 3rd edition Women’s Club Championship — reaching the final four in the club’s first-ever international competition.
The next challenge was Al Hilal SC.
A Closely Contested Semi-Final
The semi-final began at a high intensity, with both teams competing for a place in the tournament final.
Al Hilal SC controlled much of the attacking play, recording 61% possession and 81 attacks. Banaat FC, however, continued to compete throughout the match, creating opportunities of their own and keeping the pressure on as the game progressed.
The breakthrough came just before half-time.
In stoppage time, a corner was delivered into the box before an Al Hilal SC player, Mai Al-Jani, finished the move to give her side a 1–0 lead going into the break.
Banaat FC returned for the second half looking to respond.
Fighting Until the Final Whistle
Al Hilal SC were awarded a penalty in the 60th minute, but the opportunity was missed, giving Banaat FC a chance to remain within touching distance.
The second goal eventually arrived in the 65th minute, as a free-kick from the right was delivered into the box and met by a header from an attacker that found the back of the net.
Banaat FC 0–2 Al Hilal SC.
But Banaat FC refused to let the game slip away.
In the 72nd minute, Nouf Al Anzi (9) produced a moment of individual quality, striking from well outside the box and sending the ball into the top-right corner.
Banaat FC 1–2 Al Hilal SC.
The goal gave Banaat FC renewed momentum, and the team pushed forward in the closing stages in search of an equalizer. The players continued to battle until the final whistle, but Al Hilal SC held on to secure their place in the final.
The final score remained 2–1.
More Than the Result
The semi-final brought the WAFF campaign to an end, but it also put into perspective just how much Banaat FC had achieved in its first international tournament.
The team arrived in Jordan as UAE champions, won its opening group match 4–0 against Beirut Football Academy, finished top of Group A and progressed to the semi-finals.
For a newly assembled squad containing both returning players and new additions, the tournament was an opportunity to test themselves against opposition from across the region — while building relationships and gaining experience along the way.
And for the players, that experience was something they were already reflecting on as they left Jordan.
“We Are Gaining More Than We Are Losing”
Speaking after the tournament, captain Sabrine Mamay (10) reflected on the physical demands of the campaign and the challenges faced by the squad.
“The loss is when you have a lot of injuries and fatigue, so we try to adapt to that. I think overall though, we are gaining more than we are losing in this competition.”
For Lizz Forshaw (8), the experience had begun with the team's opening match and quickly demonstrated what the squad was capable of on an international stage.
“Our first game was a phenomenal game as a team. It was our first international game and I have never seen a team play so well. We connected passes, we scored amazing goals, and we just passed, we moved.”
The tournament also provided an opportunity for the squad's newer players to become part of the Banaat FC environment.
Fatima Alhosani (4) spoke about the welcome she and the other new additions received:
“Something I was surprised about was the team has welcomed us very well. We feel like home.”
And for Jennifer Yeboah (24), the pride extended across the entire group.
“I am really proud of the team. I am really proud of everybody. Coach, everyone.”
A Team, On and Off the Pitch
The tournament wasn't without its difficult moments.
Agyemang Asirifi, Servi (19), who had been sent off during the group-stage match against Etihad Club, reflected on the experience with honesty:
“It was when I got the red card, I was feeling so sad that I couldn't help my team more.”
But the response from her teammates showed the character and connection that had developed within the squad throughout the tournament.
Asked whether she was still upset with Servi, Jennifer's (24) answer — delivered with a laugh and a playful tap on her teammate's face — summed up the spirit within the group:
“I am very angry. I want to slap her, wallah.”
The moment was light-hearted, but it captured something important about the journey: this was a group that had grown together through the highs, setbacks, pressure and experiences of their first international campaign.
The First Step
Banaat FC’s WAFF journey may have ended in the semi-finals, but the significance of the campaign goes far beyond the final result.
Qualifying for the WAFF Women’s Club Championship was an achievement in itself — not only for Banaat FC, but for the UAE, marking an important moment for the club and for women’s football in the country. For Banaat FC, it represented the first opportunity to take the club beyond the domestic game and compete on an international stage.
From travelling to Jordan for the first time as an international competitor, to facing clubs from across West Asia, reaching the semi-finals and competing until the final whistle, every part of the experience represented a milestone. The tournament brought new opponents, new challenges and invaluable experience for a squad experiencing international competition together for the first time.
While the team ultimately fell short of the final, the campaign was about more than the result. It was about testing the squad against unfamiliar opposition, learning what it takes to compete at this level and laying the foundations for the international journeys still to come.
And the next one was already on the horizon.
Just days after returning from Jordan, Banaat FC prepared for its next international challenge: the AFC Women’s Champions League 2026/27 preliminary stage in Uzbekistan.
The AFC stage brings a new level of competition, greater stakes and an even broader international presence. But it would not have been possible without the experience gained in Jordan.
WAFF was the first step — an important milestone in Banaat FC’s history and a campaign that the club can build on. Now, a bigger international stage awaits.
