The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) formally inaugurated two new artificial football turfs in Dhaka on Tuesday, built with a $1.3 million grant from FIFA under its Forward Development Project. The new facilities are located at the BFF headquarters and the Shaheed Sipahi Mustafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur.
The Kamalapur turf was inaugurated in the morning by Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, while BFF President Tabith Awal officially opened the turf at the federation premises later in the day. The two projects, which began on 17 December 2024, have now been formally handed over to BFF after their completion on 14 October 2025.
Addressing the media, BFF President Tabith Awal explained that the turfs were fully managed and implemented by Greenfield, a FIFA-certified contractor. “FIFA allocated 1.3 million US dollars for the two turfs,” he said. “Greenfield supervised the entire process and appointed subcontractors. BFF was not directly involved in construction but provided local logistical support. Each turf has a lifespan of around 15 years.”
The project marks one of the most significant infrastructure upgrades in recent years for Bangladeshi football. Despite several new initiatives under the current BFF committee, grassroots football has struggled to take off partly due to a lack of playable pitches. Awal hopes the new facilities will help change that. “Now that the turfs are operational, we plan to host more age-level tournaments, including the National U-15 Championship and the First Division Football League,” he said. “Many international tournaments are now played on artificial surfaces, and we will take part in upcoming bidding rounds to bring such events to Bangladesh.”
However, challenges remain in maintaining the new facilities. The BFF has yet to form a grounds management committee, which will oversee the care and scheduling of the two new turfs. Awal acknowledged the issue and said, “We still don’t have a dedicated grounds committee. We need to manage four types of playing surfaces—futsal, beach, turf and grass. We will discuss in our next meeting how to coordinate this effectively, but protecting and maintaining these turfs is a top priority.”
The project’s total funding increased from an initial $820,000 to $1.3 million after FIFA approved an additional $230,000 to improve dressing room facilities and install an advanced irrigation system. Awal noted that such support from FIFA is vital for football development in emerging nations. “FIFA provides $3 million every cycle for infrastructure and technical projects,” he explained. “However, to qualify for such funding, the facilities must be built on land owned or leased to BFF for at least 25 years.”
When asked about BFF’s next FIFA-funded project, Awal confirmed that plans are underway to establish a technical centre in Ramu, Cox’s Bazar. The project’s previous proposed site was scrapped due to environmental concerns, but the process of securing an alternative 15-acre plot is ongoing.
Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain assured that the land issue will be resolved soon. “We have identified around 15 acres in Ramu, and the matter is now under process with the Ministry of Land,” he said. “There is no risk of losing the FIFA funding, and we expect all parties to finalise the lease before the November deadline.”
The completion of these two new turfs signals a new phase for Bangladeshi football, providing both professional and grassroots players with reliable year-round facilities. For BFF, it is also a step toward rebuilding the domestic football ecosystem and aligning with international standards.
