Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa has postponed his planned four-day visit to Bangladesh, which was scheduled to begin on 23 November, due to personal reasons.
The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) had prepared a detailed itinerary for the visit, during which Sheikh Salman was expected to attend the National Football Championship final as chief guest, visit the SAFF headquarters in Dhaka, and tour the Shamsul Huda Football Academy in Jashore.
BFF officials confirmed that the AFC chief, who is currently on a visit to Pakistan, informed them of the postponement earlier this week. The trip had been viewed as a significant opportunity for Bangladesh to strengthen ties with the continental governing body and to seek greater AFC support for local football development.
The cancellation has also led to the delay of the South Asian Football Federation’s (SAFF) new logo unveiling, which had been planned during Sheikh Salman’s stay.
However, SAFF General Secretary Anwarul Haque Purushottam Kattel said they are still waiting for an official communication from the AFC confirming the postponement. “We have not yet received formal notice from the AFC,” Kattel said.
