Domestic football is set to return to Bangladesh’s National Stadium after a five-year absence, with the Federation Cup scheduled to bring competitive club action back to the historic Dhaka venue.
The stadium last hosted a domestic fixture on 20 September 2021, when Abahani Limited faced Bashundhara Kings. It was subsequently closed for renovation work. Although international football returned to the ground after the renovation was completed, domestic matches have not been staged there since.
That wait will end on 24 November, when Fortis FC take on Rahmatganj in a Federation Cup group-stage fixture. The return of domestic football marks a significant development for a venue that has long been associated with the country’s footballing history.
The Federation Cup draw was held at the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) headquarters, with 13 teams divided into two groups.
Group A consists of Abahani Limited, Fortis FC, Rahmatganj, Brothers Union, Fakirerpool Young Men’s and Chattogram City FC. Group B includes Bashundhara Kings, Police FC, Mohammedan, PWD, Arambagh, City Club and Dhaka Wanderers.
The federation released the competition schedule before conducting the draw. According to the schedule, seven group-stage matches will be played at the National Stadium. Knockout-stage fixtures could also be held at the venue, although that possibility has yet to be finalised.
Imrul Hasan, chairman of the BFF’s League Committee, provided the information during the draw ceremony.
The Federation Cup will not be confined to the National Stadium. Matches will also be staged at three other venues: Shaheed Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj, Gopalganj District Stadium and Shaheed Miraj-Tapan Stadium in Manikganj.
The tournament is scheduled to begin on 22 September, with Fortis FC facing Fakirerpool Young Men’s in Gopalganj.
The new domestic season, however, is likely to face several interruptions. National team camps, FIFA international windows, the SAFF Championship and the AFC Challenge League are all expected to affect the domestic calendar. The overlapping commitments could create extended breaks in both the Bangladesh Football League and Federation Cup.
Ten clubs competing in the country’s top-flight league raised concerns over the issue in a letter sent to the BFF on 8 September. Their concern centres on the prospect of a fragmented domestic season and the difficulty of maintaining continuity when club competitions are repeatedly interrupted by international commitments.
Despite those concerns, the BFF League Committee announced that the league would begin on 18 September, followed by the Federation Cup on 22 September, in line with the previously prepared schedule.
Imrul Hasan said the clubs’ concerns would first be discussed with the BFF president before the clubs were invited for further discussions. The aim, he indicated, is to consider their demands before deciding how the competing commitments can be managed.
For domestic football, the return to the National Stadium carries significance beyond the Federation Cup schedule itself. The venue has traditionally been one of the central stages of Bangladeshi football, and its absence from the domestic calendar during the renovation period left a notable gap.
With seven group-stage matches already scheduled there and the possibility of further knockout fixtures, the stadium is now poised to resume a more regular role in club football. The challenge for organisers will be to maintain that momentum while accommodating the national team and international competitions that are expected to shape the domestic calendar throughout the new season.
