The inauguration ceremony of the Prime Minister Gold Cup National Football Tournament 2026 has been postponed by one month due to the prevailing flood situation and the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations, Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon said on Thursday.
The tournament will now be inaugurated in Chattogram on September 9 or 10 by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, he said while speaking at a press conference at the Chattogram Press Club.
The minister said the postponement applied only to the formal opening ceremony, not the tournament schedule itself.
Under the schedule, secondary-level matches at the upazila level will begin on August 9, and higher secondary matches from October 6.
District-level matches will begin on August 27 at the secondary level and on October 13 at higher secondary level, while divisional-level matches for both categories will begin on October 22. National-level matches will run from October 27 to October 30.
Milon said the Prime Minister's Gold Cup National Football Tournament 2026 is being organised under the direct patronage of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
"When we invited the Prime Minister to inaugurate the tournament, he instructed us to hold the opening ceremony in the port city of Chattogram. Accordingly, a colourful inaugural ceremony will be held at Chattogram District Stadium, where the Prime Minister will formally open the competition as the chief guest," he said.
The minister said around 1.5 crore students from 40,231 educational institutions across the country are expected to participate in the tournament.
He said the initiative aims to identify football talent from the grassroots, promote students' physical and mental development and contribute to strengthening the country's sports economy.
Milon also said the government is working to create a sports-friendly environment in every educational institution to help keep the younger generation away from drugs and crime.
State Minister for Land, and Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Mir Mohammed Helal Uddin, among others, was present at the press conference.
Later, the minister visited the Chattogram District Stadium to inspect preparations for the tournament.