FIFA president Gianni Infantino has stressed the need to improve domestic football across South Asia, offering support for the region’s development during a brief transit stop in Dhaka on Tuesday.
Infantino was welcomed at the airport by Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) vice-presidents Sabbir Ahmed Arif and Fahad Mohammed Ahmed Karim on his way from Bhutan to Tokyo, where he is due to attend an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) congress.
Fahad said their conversation covered football in Bangladesh and the wider South Asian region, with Infantino emphasising the importance of raising the standard of domestic competitions.
“Alongside the hospitality in Bhutan, there was some discussion about football in Bangladesh and South Asia. He stressed improving the standard of domestic football in South Asia and assured us of the necessary support,” Fahad said to the reporters.
He added that Infantino had discussed the possibility of organising a tournament involving leading clubs from South Asia with the president of the Bhutan Football Federation. Further discussions with other officials could take place in Tokyo.
A regional club competition could provide leading teams with more opportunities to compete beyond their domestic leagues. However, no details of a proposed tournament, including its format or timing, were provided in the supplied account.
Infantino announced substantial financial assistance during his visit to Bhutan. Asked about potential support for Bangladesh, Fahad pointed to an existing FIFA project at the country’s technical centre and said further assistance had been discussed.
“We have a major FIFA project at our technical centre. He had assured us of further support if needed even before travelling to Bhutan,” Fahad said.
He also referred to a proposal to increase grants for FIFA member associations at the organisation’s congress in March. If approved, Bangladesh could receive a significant increase in funding.
The discussions offer a potential route to further support for Bangladesh’s football infrastructure and domestic game, although any additional funding will depend on the relevant proposals and decisions.
Infantino’s brief stop in Dhaka came as he travelled from Bhutan to Tokyo for the AFC gathering. The BFF hopes continued cooperation with FIFA will help strengthen domestic football and support the development of the game across Bangladesh.
