Bangladesh have been confirmed as a late replacement for India at the FIFA ASEAN Cup, giving the national team a chance to compete in the tournament in Jakarta from September 24 to October 4.
FIFA confirmed Bangladesh’s participation after the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) submitted an application to take part. The federation received a positive response on Friday night and sent its confirmation soon after.
BFF media committee chairman Amirul Islam Babu confirmed the development following an executive committee meeting on Saturday.
“We had applied to FIFA to participate in the tournament. Last night, we received a positive response, and then we also sent our confirmation,” Babu told reporters.
Bangladesh have been placed in Group A alongside hosts Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Group B consists of Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and Pakistan.
The tournament opportunity came after India withdrew because of a clash with other international commitments. Bangladesh were then brought in to fill the vacant place, leaving the team with limited time to prepare for the competition.
The BFF is expected to move quickly by arranging a national team camp ahead of the tournament. Federation officials will discuss the preparations with head coach Thomas Dooley before finalising the plans.
Bangladesh’s participation will provide Dooley with an important opportunity to assess his squad against teams from across the region. The short preparation period, however, is likely to make squad selection and training particularly important.
With Indonesia hosting the tournament, Bangladesh will face a demanding Group A campaign. The hosts will also have the advantage of playing on home soil, while Malaysia and Singapore will provide further tests for the Bangladesh side.
