The complications surrounding the Federation Cup final have been resolved, with Mohammedan Sporting Club agreeing, under conditions, to play against Bashundhara Kings at Kings Arena, the home ground of their opponents. The final is scheduled to take place tomorrow.
According to the original match arrangement, the final was due to be held this afternoon at Kings Arena. However, the fixture could not proceed as planned due to objections raised by Mohammedan following their qualification for the final. The club subsequently refused to play at Kings Arena, triggering a deadlock over the venue.
Mohammedan’s Director-in-Charge, Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan, stated to Prothom Alo that discussions took place the previous night when officials from the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), including its president, visited the residence of Mohammedan’s club president, Barkat Ullah Bulu, to request participation in the final. Following the meeting, the club president instructed that assurance must be obtained from the federation that Mohammedan would not face any unfair treatment if they played at Kings Arena. After receiving such assurances from the BFF, the club agreed to proceed with the fixture.
Earlier in the week, following their qualification for the final, Mohammedan had declined to play against Kings at their home venue. The issue remained unresolved even after a meeting chaired by BFF President Tabith Awal, where representatives of both clubs were present. During that discussion, Mohammedan maintained its position against playing at Kings Arena.
The situation escalated further on the morning of the latest developments, when Bashundhara Kings reportedly suggested that the final might not be necessary and that the trophy could instead be handed to Mohammedan. This statement was later clarified by Kings’ head coach, Baezaid Alam Jobaer, who described it as an expression of frustration from the club management.
Following further discussions, Mohammedan ultimately agreed to play the final at Kings Arena. Kings’ head coach confirmed that the resolution came after meetings involving both parties and the federation, stating that misunderstandings had been addressed and a mutual decision reached to proceed with the match.
He also noted that the venue had been decided earlier through a draw and that no objections had been raised at that stage. According to him, the objection emerged only after Mohammedan reached the final. He further stated that both clubs had initially been prepared to play at any venue in the interest of football.
Federation Cup Final Developments
| Stage | Event | Involved Parties |
|---|---|---|
| Initial scheduling | Final venue decided by draw at Kings Arena | BFF, both clubs |
| After qualification | Mohammedan object to playing at Kings Arena | Mohammedan |
| Meeting chaired by BFF president | Deadlock persists over venue | BFF, both clubs |
| Morning of resolution | Kings comment on trophy suggestion | Bashundhara Kings |
| Final decision | Mohammedan agree to play at Kings Arena | Mohammedan, Kings, BFF |
The Federation Cup final will now proceed as scheduled at Kings Arena following the agreement reached between the parties.