Bangladesh open their SAFF U-20 Championship campaign against Pakistan on March 24, before facing defending champions India in their final Group B match on March 28.

Having featured in four matches for Bangladesh so far, the midfielder admitted his experience with the national team has exceeded expectations.

The 26-year-old, who has 44 international caps, has now recovered from a lateral meniscus cartilage injury and returned to the preliminary squad for upcoming fixtures against Vietnam and Singapore.

Before facing Singapore, the men in red and green will test themselves in a friendly against Vietnam on March 26.

The Leicester City midfielder had raised fitness concerns after sustaining a knee injury and leaving the pitch on crutches during a Championship match against Charlton Athletic on January 31.

Long before she played a key role in Bangladesh securing the inaugural SAFF Women’s Futsal Championship in Thailand earlier this year, the teenage goalkeeper from Mymensingh had already become a phenomenon on rural football grounds.

Making their debut at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026, the women in red and green face defending champions China at the 30,000-capacity Western Sydney Stadium in Australia.

Bangladesh now gear up for six days of training, including a practice match against Australian side Western Sydney Wanderers on February 26 before the Asian Cup proper.

The top-tier competition has been on hold since the first phase ended on January 3.

Grade 12 student Masrafi lit up the recently concluded Senior Division Football League by finishing as the top scorer

The race for the runners-up position remains wide open.

Bangladesh football team captain Jamal Bhuiyan said his lifelong support for Brazil was reignited as he came face to face with the FIFA World Cup trophy in Dhaka, describing the experience as emotional, inspiring and deeply personal.

Perera spoke to The Daily Star's Anisur Rahman about Fortis' performance, the Bangladesh Football League, his own form, and the recent progress of the Bangladesh and Sri Lanka national teams.

The Football Association of Maldives (FAM) has invited the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) to take part in a Four-Nation Invitational international football tournament scheduled for June–July, as FAM prepares to mark the diamond jubilee of Maldivian football.

As the world stepped into 2026, Bangladesh's leading sports figures struck a delicate balance between grief and grit, using the new year not merely for celebration, but for reflection, responsibility, and renewed ambition.

In 2025, Bangladesh witnessed a dramatic homecoming -- one that, even a few years back, few believed would be possible.

It would be easy to begin with cliches: underdogs, fairy tales, David and Goliath. However, the story of Bangladesh women’s football in 2025 refuses the comfort of familiar labels.

Not too long ago, finding a Bangladesh national football team jersey in Dhaka felt like a scavenger hunt. European club jerseys dominated shop displays, while cricket shirts filled whatever space remained. Bangladesh football team jerseys, if available at all, were tucked away in corners.

The quota for foreign players has been increased to four from two -- featured in the last edition held in March–April last year -- although only three can feature in a single match.

They now turn their attention to their fifth and final match, against hosts China, on Sunday.