Bangladesh’s domestic football season faces fresh uncertainty, with Bangladesh Football Federation president Tabith Awal calling all Bangladesh Football League clubs to an urgent meeting as several teams remain unprepared for the proposed 2026-27 campaign.
The new season should begin on August 21, with the Federation Cup scheduled for August 25 and the league due to start on August 28. However, Bashundhara Kings and Dhaka Abahani remain under FIFA transfer bans, while only Fortis FC and Bangladesh Police have started their preparations.
Several other clubs have yet to open training camps. Some have not even finalised their coaches.
The situation has prompted Tabith to intervene. The federation’s league committee officially oversees domestic competitions, but its chairman, senior vice-president Imrul Hasan, has not called a recent meeting to address the growing concerns.
Imrul, who also serves as Bashundhara Kings president, did not attend recent BFF meetings either. That has left the federation president to take the matter directly to the clubs.
BFF general secretary Imran Hossain Tushar signed the letter inviting the clubs to the meeting, while Imrul received a copy for necessary action.
The timing has created another complication. September’s international window falls in the middle of the proposed domestic schedule.
Bangladesh could also take part in the FIFA ASEAN Cup during the window, which would require two to three weeks of preparation. If clubs release players for the tournament and then spend weeks without competitive football, they could face additional financial pressure.
That has led several clubs to favour starting the domestic campaign in October instead.
The meeting could therefore result in changes to the transfer window and competition schedule, both common outcomes when Bangladesh’s clubs face preparation problems.
The immediate concern, however, goes beyond the calendar. With major clubs still under FIFA sanctions and several teams yet to begin training, the federation must first establish whether enough clubs can actually start the season on time.
The proposed August dates now look increasingly difficult to maintain.
