United News of Bangladesh

FIFA president Gianni Infantino praised the impact of expanded tournaments in the development of soccer around the world in a video message to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Congress on Saturday. Speaking from the United States, host of this year's Club World Cup which will feature 32 teams in June and July instead of the previous seven, Infantino addressed the 46 member associations gathered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, AP reports. “Opportunities to face opponents from different continents don’t come along too often and that is something that we have been trying to change at FIFA,” said Infantino, who has pushed for bigger and new tournaments since taking his position in 2016 in a bid to generate more revenue for the organization’s 211 member associations. Asia will have four representatives at the Club World Cup: Al-Ain of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal, Ulsan HD of South Korea and Japan’s Urawa Reds. “In total, players from more nations will represent their respective countries at this tournament than at all of the FIFA World Cups combined since 1930,” added Infantino. “It is further proof in our desire to make football truly global.” While there has been some criticism of expanded tournaments in Europe because of the increased demands placed on players, AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa said Infantino had Asia’s support. BPL Football: Rahmatganj MFS, Police FC win respective matches on resumption week “This is a competition that we have supported as a confederation and a competitive opportunity which our members, and their clubs, have wanted,” the AFC president said. The United States will also co-host the 2026 World Cup along with Mexico and Canada in the first tournament to feature 48 national teams, an increase from 32 in 2022. “Some teams will break new ground in reaching that competition as a result, not only of the move to 48 teams with eight or even nine Asian teams now being able to qualify, but also a product of the tireless work being done by you all,” added Infantino. Infantino did not mention Thursday’s proposal by Alejandro Dominguez, the president of South American soccer’s ruling body CONMEBOL, that the 2030 World Cup, which will be hosted by six nations, feature 64 teams in order to mark the centennial celebration of the tournament. In March, FIFA said it would look into the South American proposal when it was first broached by a Uruguayan official. Uruguay hosted the first World Cup in 1930. The 1930 World Cup, won by the host Uruguay side, featured 13 teams which did not have to pre-qualify — seven from South America, four from Europe and two from North America. Many European teams did not participate because of the difficulty of traveling to South America during the Great Depression.

The 2026 World Cup will have a record 48 teams, and defending champion Argentina on Tuesday became the first South American team to secure a spot. Iran also clinched a berth. New Zealand qualified on Monday, five days after Japan became the first nation excluding the three hosts to secure a spot. Next year’s tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada kicks off on June 11 and the final will take place on July 19. Forty-three teams will get their spots through their continent’s qualifying process. Another two will secure their berths in the international playoffs featuring six teams and scheduled for March 2026. What is the breakdown of berths? Asia will have eight direct berths and one in the intercontinental playoff. Africa has nine direct spots plus one for the intercontinental playoff. Argentina beats Brazil 4-1 after securing its place at the 2026 World Cup North and Central America plus the Caribbean get three direct berths and another two spots in the intercontinental playoffs. South America has six direct spots and will send another team to the intercontinental playoffs. Oceania for the first time has a guaranteed spot at the World Cup, and New Zealand clinched that with a 3-0 win over New Caledonia in Auckland. It could add another with New Caledonia going into the intercontinental playoffs. Europe will have 16 teams sure to play in the next World Cup. Who has qualified so far? The three host countries automatically qualify — and thus occupy three of the CONCACAF spots Host nations United States, Mexico, Canada Asia Japan (qualified on March 20 by beating Bahrain 2-0) Iran (qualified on March 25 in 2-2 draw with Uzbekistan) Oceania New Zealand (qualified on March 24 by beating New Caledonia 3-0) South America Argentina (qualified on March 25 after Bolivia failed to beat Uruguay)

Spain’s former football official, Luis Rubiales, has been fined over 10,000 euros for an unsolicited kiss on a player, reports AP. Luis Rubiales, the ex-president of the Spanish football federation, was convicted of sexually assaulting footballer Jenni Hermoso following Spain’s triumph in the 2023 Women’s World Cup final. Hamza Choudhury cleared by FIFA to play for Bangladesh On Thursday, he was ordered to pay a fine exceeding 10,000 euros ($10,400). Hermoso stated that the kiss was non-consensual, casting a shadow over the team’s victory celebrations. The incident provoked widespread outrage beyond football and led to one of the most humiliating scandals in Spanish football history. Saudi’s 2034 FIFA plans raise environmental concerns 

Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury has officially received clearance from FIFA to represent Bangladesh in international football. The 26-year-old becomes the first player from the English Premier League to don the red and green jersey. The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) confirmed the news in a statement on Thursday, expressing their excitement about Hamza’s inclusion. Austrian soccer player sustains fractured skull in attack by unidentified assailant The FIFA Players' Status Committee approved the request, clearing the final hurdle after England’s Football Association issued a no-objection certificate earlier this year.  “This is a proud moment for Bangladesh football,” BFF’s General Secretary Imran Hossain said. “Hamza Choudhury’s inclusion will inspire a new generation and open doors for future international success.” Hamza, born in England to a Bangladeshi mother, applied for Bangladeshi citizenship in June and received his passport in August.

FIFA has officially named Saudi Arabia as the host for the 2034 World Cup, marking a significant milestone for the Gulf nation as it continues its ambitious investment in global sports under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.  Saudi Arabia's bid was unopposed, with the decision confirmed during an online FIFA meeting led by President Gianni Infantino. The move received unanimous support, with over 200 member federations applauding virtually.  “The vote of the congress is loud and clear,” said Infantino, adding that he trusts Saudi Arabia to deliver a tournament that meets global expectations and serves as a “catalyst for positive social change and unity.”  The announcement also finalized plans for the 2030 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay hosting three matches to celebrate the tournament’s centenary.  Saudi Arabia’s hosting plan involves a major overhaul of infrastructure, including the construction and renovation of 15 stadiums, transportation networks, and accommodations, all part of the Vision 2030 modernization strategy. One proposed stadium in the futuristic city of Neom will be elevated 350 meters above ground, while another near Riyadh will be perched on a 200-meter cliff.  UN human rights chief pledges to advise FIFA and Saudi Arabia on 2034 World Cup concerns. Crown Prince Mohammed expressed his ambition to host an “exceptional and unprecedented” tournament, highlighting the country's capabilities to unite global football fans. However, the decision has drawn sharp criticism from human rights groups, with Amnesty International calling it a “moment of great danger” for workers, many of whom are migrants from South Asia.  “FIFA’s reckless decision to award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia without ensuring adequate human rights protections will put countless lives at risk,” said Steve Cockburn, Amnesty International’s Head of Labor Rights and Sport.  Critics also argue that FIFA has not adequately addressed concerns stemming from Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, which faced scrutiny at the United Nations earlier this year. Many fear the kingdom’s vast spending on sports is an attempt to divert attention from such issues, a strategy often referred to as “sportswashing.”  Saudi Arabia’s deepening influence in global football includes sponsorships, investments in European clubs, and lucrative player contracts. This includes deals with FIFA, such as the state oil giant Aramco’s sponsorship and backing for the 2025 Club World Cup in the United States.    Source: With inputs from agencies

The Bangladesh national football team will play two International Friendly Football matches at home against the Maldives on November 13 and 16 in this year's last FIFA window. General Secretary of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Imran Hossain Tushar confirmed the matter on Saturday afternoon. Earlier, the BFF communicated with Malaysia and Thailand to play football matches in the FIFA window in November, but they want to play only one match with Bangladesh. Later, the BFF communicated with the Maldives, who agreed to play two matches here, so the BFF accepted their proposal considering more (two) matches and cheap expenditure. In the last meeting, the BFF approved the decision. BFF Election: Tabith Awal poised to replace Kazi Salahuddin The matches are likely to be held at the Bashundhara Kings Arena, and we are maintaining close communication with the Kings authority. Bangladesh-origin English footballer Hamza Dewan Choudhury got" no objection" from England Football Association to play for Bangladesh after getting a Bangladesh passport and clearance from his English Premier League club, Leicester City FC. Soon after, the BFF applied to the FIFA players status committee with the necessary documents for permission to let Hamza into the Bangladesh team, but the FIFA committee wants more documents that delayed his desire to play for the Bangladesh team. Moreover, now he is out of the field due to injury. So, Hamza's participation in the Bangladesh team in the November window against the Maldives has become uncertain.

After a landmark court decision for the soccer transfer market, FIFA said Monday it will now invite “key stakeholders” worldwide for talks about updating rules put in question by former France international Lassana Diarra. The European Court of Justice ruled in the Diarra case on Oct. 4 in Luxembourg that some parts of FIFA’s transfer regulations did not comply with its laws on competition and freedom of movement for labor. While some analysts speculate that the entire global transfer market, worth more than $10 billion each year, could be upended, FIFA believes its consultations can focus more narrowly on player-club disputes where contracts are allegedly broken without just cause. The FIFA talks should include the global players’ union FIFPRO, plus representatives from clubs, leagues and national soccer federations. Messi's Argentina held 1-1 by Venezuela in South American World Cup qualifying "Together with them, FIFA will determine what conclusions must be drawn from the Diarra decision, and which changes are most appropriate and suitable to make to article 17 of the (transfer regulations),” the governing body's chief legal officer Emilio García said in a statement. Diarra, a former Real Madrid, Arsenal and Chelsea player, signed a four-year contract with Lokomotiv Moscow in 2013. The deal was terminated a year later after he was unhappy with alleged pay cuts. FIFA and then the Court of Arbitration for Sport found the Russian club terminated the contract “with just cause” and ordered the player to pay 10.5 million euros ($11.2 million). Diarra argued his search for a new club was affected by FIFA rules, making his next employer jointly responsible for paying compensation to Lokomotiv. Man City and Premier League claim a win after challenge of league's financial fairness rules “The Diarra decision confirms the sanctity of contracts. Nobody, neither a club nor a player, can simply walk away from a valid contract,” García said. “Consequently, if players wish to be released from a contract, there will be financial consequences.” The FIFA-led talks will open while the Diarra case now goes back to a local court in Belgium, where a final ruling could take years rather than months.

The first-ever Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Academy Championship' 2023-24 under the talent development scheme of the World football body FIFA will begin simultaneously at 24 zonal venues across the country on December 19 A total of 170 BFF registered Academy teams from all over the country will  compete in Crore Taka's Under -15 football meet with the full financial support of FIFA. Independence Cup: Bashundhara Kings, Dhaka Mohammedan reach semifinals BFF vice president cum chairman of the development committee Ataur Rahman Bhuiyan (Manik) disclosed it at a press conference and tournament's draw ceremony at the BFF office in Motijheel on Thursday. BFF member M Eliyas Hossian, BFF general Secretary Imran Hossain Tushar, among others, were also present on the occasion. Copa América semifinals in New Jersey and Charlotte, among 14 U.S. cities hosting next summer Initially, 170 Academy teams, split in 24 zones, will compete in the first phase from December 19 and later  24 zonal champions teams will play again in the zonal finals at 12 venues. The BFF will involve 24 coaches in 24 zonal venues to hunt talented footballers for the BFF Elite Academy. FIFA Women's Int'l: Bangladesh win two-match series crushing Singapore 8-0 Later, 12 zonal champions teams will play in the final round of the meet will be held in Dhaka in February- March next year. The players, who was born between Jan 1, 2009 to December 31, 2010, are eligible to compete in the meet, to be organized in a slogan of "Give Every Talent A Chance".

Hosts Bangladesh Women's team needed just a draw against touring Singapore women's team to win the two-match FIFA Tier-1 Women's International Friendly Football Series here on Monday ( Dec 4). The 2nd and last match of the series between 130th ranked Singapore and 142nd ranked Bangladesh will kick- off at 3:pm on Monday at the Bir Shreshtha Shaheed Shipahi  Mohammad Mostafa Stadium in Kamalapur in the capital. Independence Cup Football: Quarterfinals begin Sunday Bangladesh women's team comfortably dominated the two-match series 1-0  outplaying Singapore women's team by 3-0 goals in the first match at the same venue last  Friday ( Dec 1), featuring two goals by occasional  striker by Tohura Khatun and rest one by defender Afeida Khandakar With this well-merited victory, Bangladesh women's football team not only dominated the series but also took sweet revenge of their 0-3 goals defeat against hosts Singapore  in a Development Tournament there six year ago. Women's Football: Bangladesh too hot to handle for Singapore This was the first victory for Bangladesh national women's team in international football within  about 14 months after winning the historic title of  the SAFF Championship held in Kathmandu in September' 2022. Ahead of Monday's match, both the Bangladesh and Singapore teams made their final practices at the match venue Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, the Head of the Mission of Singapore Embassy in Dhaka accorded a reception in honour of the touring  Singapore women's football team at a local hotel Saturday night. Women's Int'l Football: Bangladesh to play Singapore on Friday Members of the Bangladesh women's football team and the Bangladesh Football Federation  (BFF) officials also attended  the function.

Bangladesh will face Australia in the FIFA World Cup 2026 second-round qualifier. The match will take place on November 16 at 3 pm Bangladesh time. Australia will host the match in Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, and Bangladesh will host the second leg of this match. Preview of BAN vs. AUS FIFA World Cup 2026 Second Round Qualifiers Bangladesh beat Maldives to confirm their placement in the second-round qualifier of World Cup selection. In this phase of the World Cup qualifiers, Bangladesh will have the opportunity to play 6 home and away matches. The World Cup qualifiers start this month which will last more than a year and a half. Bangladesh advanced to the second round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers after defeating the Maldives in the first round by a margin of 3-2 in two matches. Now, they’re moving on to the second round, where 36 teams are divided into 9 groups. Bangladesh is in Group I with Australia, Lebanon, and Palestine as their opponents. They’ll play six matches in total, facing each team both at home and away. Read more: Bangladesh football team start training session ahead of FIFA World Cup qualifiers Australia is a dominating team, and it’s likely they’ll play aggressively against Bangladesh. It’s crucial that Bangladesh maintain a strong fighting spirit. Each player needs to focus on giving their best performance and ensure there’s no lack of effort on their part. The Bangladesh team has been actively involved in the game for the past few months. Following two drawn international friendlies against Afghanistan in September, some of the national team players participated in the U-23 side at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. In October, Bangladesh played two matches in the preliminary phase of the World Cup qualifiers against Maldives. Overall, the team’s recent performance has been promising and positive. On the other hand, Australia has been a consistent participant in the FIFA World Cup since 2006. They currently hold the 27th position in the FIFA rankings, a significant 156 spots ahead of Bangladesh, which is ranked 183rd. In the recent World Cup in Qatar, Australia performed well by defeating Denmark and Tunisia in Group D, earning a spot in the last 16. Although they faced a setback with a 2-1 loss against the eventual champions Argentina, their performance in the tournament was remarkable. After the World Cup, Australia played six friendly matches and won two of them while drawing one against Mexico. So, playing against such a team will be difficult for Bangladesh, and they are the underdog here. Read more: Bangladesh team to leave for Melbourne to play Australia in FIFA World Cup qualifiers BAN vs. AUS Head-To-Head Football Matches So Far Bangladesh has encountered Australia twice before. In the 2015 World Cup qualifiers, the Red and Green team suffered losses of 5-0 in Perth on September 3, 2015, and 4-0 in Dhaka on November 17, 2015. Jamal Bhuiyan played in both matches for Bangladesh. They will meet Australia for the third time on November 16. The Bangladesh team expresses confidence, noting that compared to the squad from 8 years ago, there are some differences in the team this time. Australia Squad Against Bangladesh Australia’s national football team (Socceroos) has announced a 23-man squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Bangladesh and Palestine, incorporating an experimental approach. Fourteen players in the squad did not participate in Australia’s Qatar World Cup campaign. The matches are scheduled for November 16 and 22, and the squad includes two debutants.  Western Sydney Wanderers’ striker Kusini Yengi has been unexpectedly selected after scoring five goals in nine matches for League One leaders Portsmouth. Charlton goalkeeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer is also included as a backup to Mat Ryan. Australia Team  Mat Ryan, Joe Gauci, Ashley Maynard-Brewer, Aziz Behich, Jordy Bos, Cameron Burgess, Alessandro Circati, Lewis Miller, Kye Rowles, Harry Souttar, Ryan Strain, Keanu Baccus, Jackson Irvine, Massimo Luongo, Connor Metcalfe, Aiden O’Neill, Brandon Borrello, Martin Boyle, Mitch Duke, Craig Goodwin, Jamie Maclaren, Sam Silvera, Kusini Yengi. Bangladesh’s Probable Squad Bangladesh’s preparation for the upcoming match against Australia is focused on a determined fight. However, the preparation process is still incomplete, even on the eve of their departure to Australia. Thirty players were called to the camp, but the final team of 23 players scheduled to go to Melbourne is yet to be confirmed by Coach Javier Fernández Cabrera. The coach is uncertain about the inclusion of one or two players, causing a delay in the decision-making process. However, here is our predicted squad. Anisur Rahman Zico, Shahidul Alam Sohel, Topu Barman, Rimon Hossain, Tutul Hossain Badsha, Mohamed Atikuzzaman, Mehedi Hasan Mithu, Mohammed Jahid Hasan, Tanvir Hossain, Masuk Mia Jony, Hemanta Vincent Biswas, Papon Singh, Abu Shaeid, Motin Mia, Aminur Rahman Sajib, Sazzad Hossain, Shahriar Emon, Eleta Kingsley, Sarower Zaman Nipu, Jafar Iqbal, Mojibur Rahman Jony and Mohammad Ibrahim. Read more: World Cup Qualifiers: BFF announces 23-member squad to fly Australia Friday night Bangladeshi Footballers to Watch Rakib Hossain In the second leg of the World Cup qualifying play-off against Maldives, Bangladesh scored a goal at the beginning of the match. Forward Rakib Hossain scored a goal in the 11th minute of the match that led Bangladesh to a 1-0 scoreline, which eventually boosted confidence in the team. Rakib played 34 matches for Bangladesh and scored 4 goals. Isa Faysal Debuted on June 25, 2023, 24-year-old Isa Faysal is the most valuable player for Bangladesh with a €225k market value. He played a total of 7 matches for Bangladesh. Australian Footballers to Watch Harry Souttar Harry Souttar is one of the star players of the Australian national football team as well as for Leicester City. He played 19 games for Australia and scored 8 goals so far. Mathew Ryan Australian football team captain and goalkeeper Mat Ryan has appeared in 83 matches for Australia. Although he has conceded 81 goals so far, Ryan kept 33 clean sheets. So, he will certainly become a great wall for the Australian goalpost. In his more than 10 years of career, Ryan got a yellow card only once. Final Words Team Bangladesh left for Melbourne on November 11, 2023, after the day-long training. While Australia, ranked 27th globally, presents a tough opponent, Bangladesh remains optimistic despite being the underdog. It is expected that the Bangladesh vs. Australia match in the FIFA World Cup 2026 second-round qualifier round will be competitive and interesting. Read more: Bangladesh’s matches in the 2nd Round Qualifiers of FIFA World Cup 2026: Schedules, Fixtures, Team