A wave of excitement has swept across the nation as the national football team readies itself for two eagerly awaited matches, invigorated by the inclusion of three expatriate players in Javier Cabrera's squad.
The inclusion of England-based Hamza Choudhury, Italy-based Fahamedul, and Canada-based Shamit Shome has breathed new life into the ageing sport, which is experiencing a revival.
Bangladesh face Bhutan in an international friendly at the National Stadium in Dhaka today, which will host its first international match in four years, before they face Singapore in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers at the same venue on June 10.
For the first time in years, ticket sales have broken records, with 22,000-plus seats sold out for the Singapore tie to watch Hamza and Co.
The Bangladesh Football Federation website even crashed under the weight of tens of thousands of eager fans attempting to secure a seat for the fixture against Singapore.听
A suspected cyberattack further disrupted the process, which led BFF to reorganise ticket distribution. When sales resumed two days later, the stadium was declared sold out within a couple of hours.
A fan, who had waited for two hours to secure a ticket, was overjoyed to finally obtain it.听
鈥業 waited for two hours. At first, I thought there was no hope. When I got the tickets 鈥 was on cloud nine. I鈥檓 thrilled that I eventually got the ticket,鈥� said Alif, a student of the CSE department of Southeast University.
When asked whether the inclusion of the overseas-born players will make an impact on the team, he said, 鈥楢bsolutely, the inclusion of players like Hamza, Shamit, and Fahamedul could significantly boost the team.鈥櫶�
鈥楾heir exposure to higher level of football, whether through better training environments, tactical education, or physical conditioning, will bring a different dimension that has long been missing in Bangladeshi football,鈥� he added.听
Many fans were left disappointed after failing to secure tickets. In response, the Football Ultras鈥攁 fan group held a sit-in protest blocking the BFF鈥檚 main gate on Tuesday.
鈥楾he Ultras had requested 2,000 to 3,000 tickets from the BFF. At first, they assured us that they would manage the tickets. However, after several attempts to reach out to the BFF, we were informed months later that only 100 tickets would be available,鈥� said a member of the Ultras.
A sport that has long been overshadowed by cricket but is now experiencing a dramatic resurgence with the arrival of the trio, ushering in a new era for Bangladeshi football.
鈥楾heir presence can not only raise the standard of play on the pitch but also change the mentality in the dressing room,鈥� said another fan named Sadmanuzzaman, who works in the corporate sector.
鈥業 believe it can, but it's not automatic that football can trump cricket. There needs to be a coordinated effort from the federation, clubs, media, and fans,鈥� he said when asked whether football can find its charm back.
鈥楾he passion still exists at the grassroots level; what's missing is structure and consistency. The league needs professionalism,鈥� he said.
鈥業f done right, a strong league backed by national pride could reignite the charm football once had, even competing with the cricket craze.鈥櫶�
Leicester City midfielder Hamza has already made his debut for the red and greens in a recent goalless draw against India, which impressed fans.
Fahamedul joined the camp early and is expected to feature in both the matches against Bhutan and Singapore, while Shome will miss the friendly against Bhutan as he is scheduled to arrive today but is expected to be available for Singapore.
With experienced players like Jamal Bhuyan, Tariq Kazi, and Saad Uddin already part of the setup, the new additions bring renewed hope to a nation hungry for football glory.听
As expectations rise, all eyes will be on the team to see if they can meet the hype and deliver on the pitch.
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