Bangladesh to participate in Futsal Asian Cup Qualifiers

Bangladesh will send a futsal team to the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Qualifiers for the first time, Bangladesh Football Federation president Tabith Awal confirmed on Friday.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the BFF executive committee earlier in the day.

Although Bangladesh women's team participated in the 2018 AFC Women's Futsal Championship, this is the first time Bangladesh will be sending a men's futsal team in an international event.

The 16-team 2026 AFC Futsal Asian Cup will be held in Jakarta in May next year and Bangladesh will be vying for a spot in that tournament through a qualifying round, which is scheduled to be held in September this year.

Around 30 teams will vie for 15 qualifying spots while Indonesia will play as hosts in the tournament, which will be held in Jakarta from May 14-31 next year.

"First time, we will be playing international football. The committee has approved of the decision today," Tabith told reporters following the prize distribution ceremony of Dhaka's Rising Stars, a new school-based football event, in Jolshiri, Rupganj.

The BFF president also informed that they will host a futsal tournament soon to form a national team and send that team to the venue where the qualifiers will be held, one month before the qualifiers, to get the prepared.