FIFA President Gianni Infantino has said Bangladesh have a real chance to play in the FIFA World Cup one day. He also said FIFA want more new countries to reach football’s biggest stage for the first time.
Infantino made the comments in a post on Instagram. One of his followers asked him if Bangladesh will ever play in the World Cup. He replied by explaining FIFA’s wider goal of helping more teams qualify.
The statement came just after the World Cup trophy tour visited Bangladesh. The visit inspired Bangladesh captain Jamal Bhuyan, who said he believes the next generation can take the country to the World Cup even if he cannot.
Later in his post, Infantino wrote, “Of course, Bangladesh can play in the FIFA World Cup. FIFA’s goal is for Bangladesh and other countries to be able to take part in the World Cup for the first time.”
He also pointed to new teams that have qualified for the next World Cup, mentioning Cape Verde, Curaçao, Uzbekistan, and Jordan. He added, “Bangladesh is a wonderful football country, where football is becoming popular, and they definitely have a chance.”
Bangladesh have reached Asia’s biggest stage only once, in the AFC Asian Cup in 1980. Hopes were high again during the latest Asian Cup qualifiers, especially with the inclusion of expatriate players like Hamza Chowdhury and Shamit Shome, but the dream is still alive.
The next FIFA World Cup will begin on June 11 in Mexico, Canada, and the United States. It will be the first World Cup to feature 48 teams, and FIFA are also discussing the idea of expanding it further in the future.
