The Bangladesh football team secured their spot in the second round of qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup by beating Maldives 3-2 over two matches in the pre-qualifiers. This victory means that Bangladesh will have the opportunity to participate in more international matches in the next three years. Let’s take a look at Bangladesh’s opponents along with match schedules and fixtures in the next round. Bangladesh's Matches in FIFA World Cup 2026 Second Round Qualifiers: Schedules, Fixtures, Team Over the next three years, Bangladesh will have a chance to participate in at least 12 international matches in the FIFA World Cup and Asian Cup qualifiers. Bangladesh will face Australia, Palestine, and Lebanon in the second round of the World Cup pre-qualifiers. This is the last stage of World Cup pre-qualification. There are a total of 9 groups here. Bangladesh is placed in Group I, alongside Australia, Palestine, and Lebanon. Out of these 9 groups (Group A to Group I), the top two teams from each group – a total of 18 teams – will advance to the next round of the World Cup qualifiers. These 18 teams will get tickets for the 2027 Asian Cup directly. Considering Bangladesh’s football potentials and the reality, it must be said that it is very difficult to be in the top two from the group.  Read more: Bangladesh qualify for 2nd round of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers beating Maldives by 2-1 goals Table: Bangladesh’s Matches in the Second Round Qualifiers of FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 Date and Time (Bangladesh Time) Match Venue November 16, 2023; 3:00 PM Australia vs Bangladesh Melbourne Rectangular Stadium November 21, 2023; 5:45 PM Bangladesh vs Lebanon Bashundhara Kings Arena, Dhaka March 21, 2024; Time to be announced Bangladesh vs Palestine Venue to be announced March 26, 2024; Time to be announced Palestine vs Bangladesh Venue to be announced June 6, 2024; Time to be announced Bangladesh vs Australia Venue to be announced June 11, 2024; Time to be announced Lebanon vs Bangladesh Venue to be announced Bangladesh’s Performance in the First Round of FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers Bangladesh played two matches against Maldives in the first round of FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers. The first match took place on October 12, and the second match was on October 17. Bangladesh drew against the Maldives in the 2026 Football World Cup qualifier playoffs’ first match. Jamal Bhuiyan’s team left the field with a last-minute goal to draw 1-1 in the first leg.

Bangladesh National Football team, now in Malaysia to participate in the Group E matches of the AFC Asian Cup China' 2023 Qualifiers, made their first practices Saturday afternoon ahead of the main event. In the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers scheduled for May 8 to May 14 in Malaysia, Bangladesh was put in strong Group E with Bahrain, Turkmenistan and hosts Malaysia. Bangladesh will play stronger gulf nation Bahrain on June 8, will face Turkmenistan on June 11 and will meet hosts Malaysia on June 14. Read: Ecuador beat Nigeria in Word Cup warmup Bangladesh team, which arrived Malaysia from Indonesia on Thursday, made their first practices at the Mini Shah Alam Stadium on Saturday from 5:pm to 6:30 pm (local time) after a team meeting, gym and swimming session at team hotel--Dorsett Grand Hotel Subang-- in the morning. All the players and team officials of Bangladesh team are in sound health and the team has no injury problems, said a BFF media release Saturday afternoon. Bangladesh will also make their practices Sunday afternoon from 5:30 to 7 pm (local time). All the four participating teams now in the Malaysia capital to compete in the Asian Cup Qualifiers. Read: Cavani shines as Uruguay rout Mexico in friendly Earlier on Wednesday (June 1), Injury grabbed Bangladesh National Football team played a goalless draw with 29 ranked higher Indonesia in a FIFA Tier-1 International Friendly match at the Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung of West Java, Indonesia.

A 39-member Bangladesh National Football team will  leave Dhaka for Indonesia early Friday to play FiFA Tier-1 International Friendly and to participate in the AFC Asian Cup China' 2023 Qualifiers. The FIFA Tier-1 International Friendly match between Bangladesh and Indonesia will be held on June 1 at Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung. The AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers will be held in Malaysia from May 8-14. Read: BCL Football: Azampur FC beat Uttara FC 4-0 In the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers, Bangladesh will play stronger gulf nation Bahrain on June 8, will face Turkmenistan on June 11 and will meet hosts Malaysia on June 14. The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) at a press conference at BFF office on Thursday announced national football team for the match and AFC tournament. Team Manager Iqbal Hossain, Bangladesh captain Jamal Bhuiyan, Head Coach Javier Fernandez Cabrera, BFF Technical Director Paul Thomas Smalley and BFF general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag were present on the occasion. Bangladesh team comprises of 27 booters and 12 officials. The booters of Bangladesh team : Goalkeepers: Anisur Rahman Zico, Ashraful Islam Rana and Mohammad, Nayeem. Defenders: Yeasin Arafat, Bishwanath Ghosh, Rimon Hossain, Tutul Hosain Badsha , Riyadul Hasan Rafi, Rahmat Mia, Rayhan Hassan, Isa Faysal and Tarak Kazi. Read: AFC Cup Football: Bashundhara Kings stay in race beating Indian 2nd tier champions Midfielders: Jamal Bhuiyan, Atiqur Rahman Fahad, Biplo Ahmed, Mohammad Ibrahim, Rakib Hossain, Masuk Mia Zoni. Maraz Hossain Opi, Sohel Rana, Papon Singh; Forwards: Foysal Ahmed Fahim, Jafar Iqbal, Sazzad Hossain, Matin Mia, Mahbubur Rahman Sufil and Sumon Reza  

The residential training camp of Bangladesh National Football team begins Tuesday (May 17) at 4 pm at the Bashundhara Sports Complex here. Bangladesh national team will play the FIFA Tier-1 International Friendly match against Indonesia on June 1 and will compete in the qualifying round of the AFC Asian Cup in Malaysia from June 8-14. Twenty national booters out of the initially selected 21, reported to Team Manager Iqbal Hossain today (Monday) evening at the Radisson Blue Water Garden Hotel in Dhaka to join the national residential training camp. Also read: Bashundhara Kings reach Kolkata to compete in AFC Cup Veteran national goalkeeper Shahidul Alam Sohel of Dhaka Abahani failed to report on the day due to injury. Earlier on last Saturday, Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) picked up 21 footballers to join the phase-1 national training camp for the AFC Asian Cup’2023 and for the FIFA Tier-1 International Friendly Football match. Maximum five players were taken from Dhaka Abahani Limited, four players each from Saif SC and Sheikh Russel KC and three booters from Sheikh Jamal DC. Players of the league champions Bashundhara Kings, now in Kolkata to compete in the AFC Cup Football, were not included in the squad. Also read: BFF selects 21 booters for Asian Cup Qualifier, FIFA Int’l Friendly Selected players are : Tutul Hossain Badsha, Sahidul Alam Sohel, Rakib Hossain, Nabib Newaz Jibon, Abu Sayed (Dhaka Abahani), Ruyadul Hasan, Jamal Bhuyan, Maraz Hossain, Foysal Ahmed Fahim (Saif SC), Rahmat Mia, Saaduddin, Hemanta Vincent Biswas, Ashraful Islam Rana (Sheikh Russel KC), Mohammad Nayeem, Mitul Marma, Rayhan Hasan (Sheikh Jamak SC), Jafar Iqbal (Mohammedan SC), Isa Faysal,(Police FC), Sohel Rana (Ctg Abahani) and Papon Singh (Uttar Barishara). Asif Hasan of BFF Elite Academy was included in the team only for training purposes.

A 34-member Bangladesh national football team reached the Maldives Tuesday evening at 7:50 pm (Bangladesh time) to participate in the  five-nation SAFF Championship' 2021 beginning on Friday (October 1) at the national football stadium in Male. The Bangladesh team comprises 23 booters and 11 officials. In the five-nation South Asian regional football, Bangladesh will play Sri Lanka in the opening match on Friday (October 1) at 5 pm (Bangladesh Time) at the national football stadium in Male. In the remaining matches, Bangladesh will play India on Oct 4 at 5 pm , hosts Maldives on Oct  7 at 10 pm and Nepal on Oct 13 at 5pm , all at the National Stadium in Male.  The difference of the Maldives and Bangladesh time is one hour where Maldives is one hour ahead of the Bangladesh. Read: SAFF football: Bangladesh leave for Maldives fancying their chances under Bruzon Soon after reaching the Maldives Tuesday evening, all the players of Bangladesh team had their Covid-19 Test and all were found negative. All the members of Bangladesh team are in sound health and staying at Hotel Jen in Male. Local weather is also comfortable between 28 to 30 degree celsius. The Bangladesh team is scheduled to make their first practice session at the Henveiru Training pitch in Male today (Wednesday) afternoon, said a BFF media release on Wednesday. It will be the first assignment for the newly appointed Spanish interim Head Coach of national football team Oscar Bruzon, a head coach of BPL champions Bashundhara Kings. Earlier this month, Bangladesh football team, toured Kyrgyzstan to play three matches-- two in the Three Nations Cup and one friendly against Kyrgyz U-23 team as part of their preparation for the SAFF Championship,  but lost all the three matches. Visiting Bangladesh conceded 0-2 goals defeat against Palestine in their first match of the Three Nations Cup. Hosts Kyrgyzstan clinched three nations cup title with all-win record outplaying Bangladesh by 4-1 goals in their 2nd and match after beating Palestine by 1-0 goal in  tournament opener. Relieved coach Jamie Day's Bangladesh team completed their  Kyrgyzstan tour with frustrating note losing all the three matches, after conceding a 2-3 goals defeat against Kyrgyzstan U-23 team, all at the Dolen Omurzakov Stadium in Bishkek. Members of the Bangladesh football team  are:  Shahidul Alam Sohel, Anisur Rahman and Ashraful Islam Rana (Custodian); Rahmat Miah, Bishwanath Ghosh, Topu Barman, Tariq Raihan Kazi , Riyadul Hasan, Yeasin Arafat, Tutul Hossain Badsha, Rezaul Karim and Mohammad Hridoy  (Defender); Jamal Bhuiyan,  Atiqur Rahman Fahad , Sohel Rana, M Saaduddin and Rakib Hossain (Midfield),  Mahbubur Rahman Sufil, Mohammad Ibrahim,  Matin Miah ,Jewel Rana, Biplo Ahmed and Sumon Reza (Forward)

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) on Tuesday named 24 players, including five new faces, to form a team to play in the Tri-Nation Football Tournament in Nepal.

Two non-playing members of the touring Bangladesh contingent now in Doha, Qatar-- Mohd Amer Khan (Team Manager) and Fuad Hasan (Team Physiotherapist), have tested  positive for Covid-19 upon arrival in the Gulf state.