Kings, Abahani, Fakirerpool get three more days to lift FIFA transfer bans

Reigning league champions Bashundhara Kings, runners-up Abahani and Fakirerpool Young Mens Club are set to get three more days to resolve their FIFA registration bans after the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) extended the deadline for submitting club licensing documents until August 7.

All three clubs must lift their respective FIFA registration bans and secure club licences to be eligible for the upcoming season, but none has yet managed to do so.

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Abahani are ahead of the other two, having already lifted two of their three bans and currently working to resolve the remaining one. Bashundhara Kings are yet to settle their 11 cases, while Fakirerpool Young Mens Club are still struggling to resolve their two cases.

"We have resent the agreement to the player and are waiting for his approval to resolve the issue. If he agrees, it could take two to three days to lift Abahani's third ban," said Abahani manager Satyjit Das Rupu, adding that if the club fails to resolve the issue before the deadline, it will again seek more time to participate in the upcoming Bangladesh Football League.

Fakirerpool Young Mens Club general secretary Ahmed Ali also said they were trying to lift their two bans after contacting the two players involved.

"Though we have financial constraints, we are trying to solve the problems because Young Mens Club is an old club that was established in 1960. We had previously tried to resolve the issues, but we did not receive any assistance from the BFF," said Ahmed Ali, alleging that most Bangladesh Football League clubs are facing financial difficulties but the BFF has failed to come forward to help them.

The situation surrounding Bashundhara Kings, however, remains unclear, as no club official has been willing to speak to the media since FIFA imposed 11 transfer bans on the club. It is understood that Kings president Imrul Hasan informed the players and officials on Sunday that the club would clear all the transfer bans and compete in the upcoming season, which is scheduled to begin on August 21 with the one-off Challenge Cup between Kings and Abahani.