Football is the most popular sport in Bangladesh, though it has been overshadowed by cricket recently. The Bangladesh national football team is controlled by the Bangladesh Football Federation and has never qualified for the World Cup, though it has won the SAFF Championship once in 2003. The sport is especially popular among rural children and during the FIFA World Cup.

1.  Throughout History
Most Popular Sport
 Recently Shadowed
by Cricket
 Neglected by Govt.
& Authorities
 Maniac During FIFA
World Cup
Rural children playing football

2.  Controlled by Bangladesh
Football Federation (BFF)
 Nick name - Bengal Tigers
 Current FIFA ranking – 163
 Home stadium - Bangabandhu
National Stadium
 Never qualified to World Cup
 Played Asian Cup only once,
in 1980
 Best achievement – SAFF
championship winner, 2003
Bangladesh National Football Team celebrating a
victory

3.  Honors:
• SAFF Championship
Champion (1): 2003
Runner-up (2): 1999, 2005
• South Asian Games
Gold medal (2): 1999, 2010
Silver medal (4): 1984, 1985, 1989, 1995
Bronze medal (1): 1991
• Quaid-E-Azam International Cup
Runner-up (1): 1985
Third-place (1): 1987

4.  During Liberation War, in
1971, “Swadhin Bangla
Football Dal” Formed
 Captain of the team: Zakaria
Pintoo
 The Team Played 16 Matches
in India
 Officially Received by BFF
in 2009

5.  The Bangladesh Football Federation or BFF is the
governing body of football in Bangladesh
 Controls the country's men’s, women’s and youth
national teams and oversees all aspects of the
country's football
 The BFF is based at BFF Bhaban Motijheel,
Dhaka near Bangabandhu National Stadium
 Current precident of BFF - Kazi Salahuddin

6.  BFF was founded on 15 July 1972, by
Prof. Md. Yousuf Ali.
 Became affiliated with AFC and FIFA in
1973 and 1976 respectively.
 Bangladesh was elected as member in the
AFC Executive Committee 1982-86 and
1998-02.
 Major (Rtd) Hafizuddin Ahmed was
elected vice president of AFC for 1990-
94.

7.  BFF continued the Dhaka League after the
Independence from 1973
 In 1980, started - Federation Cup
 In 2007, launched top-tier professional league-
Bangladesh Premier League
 In 2009, started the Super Cup tournament, the highest
budgeted football tournament organised by BFF
 In 2012 BFF launched 2nd tier professional
league Bangladesh Championship League

8.  The premier regional football league played by
clubs in Dhaka.
 Founded in 1948, first title winner - Victoria SC
 Was popular during 1960s, major clubs in 1960s
Dhaka Wanderers, Victoria SC, Mohammedan SC,
Railways, and Fire service etc.
 Footballers from Dhaka League are selected for
‘Pakistan National Football Team’

9. Stopped for 2 Year during Independent War in
1971
Become Most Popular League in 80s & 90s
Faded away in 2000s
Most Successful Team - Mohammedan SC, 19
times Championship winner

10.  In 2000, National Football Championship started
as top-tier football league
 Replaced by Bangladesh Premier League in 2007,
which is currently top-tier league of the country
 First Championship winner - Dhaka Abahani
 Major Clubs are - Dhaka Abahani, Dhaka
Mohammedan, Muktijoddha Sangsad KS,
Brothers Union, Sheikh Russell KC etc

11.  Currently Sponsored by Grammenphone,
thus also Known as Grameenphone
Bangladesh Premier League
 10 teams participated to the league
 Championship winner allowed to AFC
President's Cup, an annual international
association football competition between
domestic clubs sides run by the AFC
 Most Championship winner - Dhaka
Abahani (4 times)

12.  Syed Abdus Samad(1895-1964): He was
known in as football jadukar (magician).
Legendary Abdus Samad played football
during British period. He was captain
of Indian National Team in 1926.
Bangladesh govt. developed a Postage
stamp in honor to him in 1993.
 Kazi Salahuddin: He is the first player
from the country to play in the professional
league in Hong Kong and considered to be
one of Bangladesh's most famous football
players. He retired from football in 1984.
He is the current president of BFF.

13.  Sheikh Aslam: He played as a specialist striker and was
one of the most lethal marksmen in the Dhaka League
during the 1980s and 1990s; gained his greatest fame
while playing for Abahani Krira Chakra.
 Alfaz Ahmed: In August 1996, he was elected as
“AFC’s player of the month”
 Aminul Hoque: Got to chance to play for Newcastle
United, a English first-tier professional club, but due to
communication error the deal fell through.