Football In Bangladesh Throughout History

Most Popular Sport

Recently Shadowed by Cricket

Neglected by Govt. & Authorities

Maniac During FIFA World Cup

Rural children playing football

Bangladesh National Football Team Controlled by Bangladesh

Football Federation (BFF)

Nick name - Bengal Tigers

Current FIFA ranking – 163

Home stadium - Bangabandhu National Stadium

Never qualified to World Cup

Played Asian Cup only once, in 1980

Best achievement – SAFF championship winner, 2003

Bangladesh National Football Team celebrating a victory

Bangladesh National Football Team (Cont.)

Honors:• SAFF Championship

Champion (1): 2003 Runner-up (2): 1999, 2005

• South Asian Games Gold medal (2): 1999, 2010 Silver medal (4): 1984, 1985, 1989, 1995 Bronze medal (1): 1991

• Quaid-E-Azam International Cup Runner-up (1): 1985 Third-place (1): 1987

SWADHIN BANGLA FOOTBALL DOL During Liberation War, in 1971,

“Swadhin Bangla Football Dal” Formed

Captain of the team: Zakaria Pintoo

The Team Played 16 Matches in India

Officially Received by BFF in 2009

Bangladesh Football Federation The Bangladesh Football Federation or BFF is the

governing body of football in Bangladesh

Controls the country's men’s, women’s and youth national teams and oversees all aspects of the country's football

The BFF is based at BFF Bhaban Motijheel, Dhaka near  Bangabandhu National Stadium

Current precident of BFF - Kazi Salahuddin

Bangladesh Football Federation(Cont.) BFF was founded on 15 July 1972, by

Prof. Md. Yousuf Ali.

Became affiliated with AFC and FIFA in 1973 and 1976 respectively.

Bangladesh was elected as member in the AFC Executive Committee 1982-86 and 1998-02.

Major (Rtd) Hafizuddin Ahmed  was elected vice president of AFC for 1990-94.

Bangladesh Football Federation(Cont.)

BFF continued the Dhaka League after the Independence from 1973

In 1980, started - Federation Cup

In 2007, launched top-tier professional league- Bangladesh Premier League

In 2009, started the Super Cup tournament, the highest budgeted football tournament organised by BFF

In 2012 BFF launched 2nd tier professional league Bangladesh Championship League

Dhaka League The premier regional football league played by clubs in

Dhaka.

Founded in 1948, first title winner - Victoria SC

Was popular during 1960s, major clubs in 1960s Dhaka Wanderers, Victoria SC, Mohammedan SC, Railways, and Fire service etc.

Footballers from Dhaka League are selected for ‘Pakistan National Football Team’

Dhaka League (Cont.) Stopped for 2 Year during Independent War in

1971

Become Most Popular League in 80s & 90s

Faded away in 2000s

Most Successful Team - Mohammedan SC, 19 times Championship winner

Bangladesh Premier League In 2000, National Football Championship started as

top-tier football league

Replaced by Bangladesh Premier League in 2007, which is currently top-tier league of the country

First Championship winner - Dhaka Abahani

Major Clubs are - Dhaka Abahani, Dhaka Mohammedan, Muktijoddha Sangsad KS, Brothers Union, Sheikh Russell KC etc

Bangladesh Premier League(Cont.) Currently Sponsored by Grammenphone, thus

also Known as Grameenphone Bangladesh Premier League

10 teams participated to the league

Championship winner allowed to AFC President's Cup, an annual international association football competition between domestic clubs sides run by the AFC

Most Championship winner - Dhaka Abahani (4 times)

Famous Players Syed Abdus Samad(1895-1964): He was

known in as football jadukar (magician). Legendary Abdus Samad played football during British period. He was captain of  Indian National Team in 1926. Bangladesh govt. developed a Postage stamp in honor to him in 1993.

Kazi Salahuddin: He is the first player from the country to play in the professional league in Hong Kong and considered to be one of Bangladesh's most famous football players. He retired from football in 1984. He is the current president of BFF.

Famous Players (Cont.) Sheikh Aslam: He played as a specialist striker and was

one of the most lethal marksmen in the Dhaka League during the 1980s and 1990s; gained his greatest fame while playing for  Abahani Krira Chakra.

Alfaz Ahmed: In August 1996, he was elected as “AFC’s player of the month”

Aminul Hoque: Got to chance to play for Newcastle United, a English first-tier professional club, but due to communication error the deal fell through.