Foreign firepower dominates as first phase ends

Amid controversies, uneven pitches and lingering concerns over broadcast quality, the curtain came down on the first phase of the 2025–26 Bangladesh Football League on Saturday. Yet despite the off-field noise, the league delivered drama, surprises and goals in abundance, with 111 goals scored across 45 matches, setting the stage for a gripping second half of the season.
 The opening phase reshaped expectations, none more so than the rise of Fortis FC. Built without the financial muscle traditionally associated with title contenders, Fortis relied on discipline, intensity and collective belief to emerge as the league’s biggest revelation. After nine matches, they stand level on 18 points with five-time champions Bashundhara Kings, a position few could have imagined before the season kicked off. Kings remain top of the table solely due to a superior goal difference, leaving Fortis just behind in second place but firmly in the title conversation.
While Fortis surprised with consistency, Bashundhara Kings dominated in front of the goal. Kings were the most prolific side of the first phase, scoring 24 goals, and much of that firepower flowed from the boots of Brazilian striker Dorielton. The forward has been the league’s most lethal finisher so far, netting 10 goals in nine matches to lead the scoring chart outright. His latest brace against Fakirerpool Young Men’s Club further underlined his importance, pulling him clear at the top.
The battle for goals, however, has been largely controlled by foreign players. The top three spots in the scoring list are all occupied by overseas footballers, highlighting their influence in the competition. Souleymane Diabate, Abahani Limited’s Malian striker and a familiar face from his standout years at Mohammedan Sporting Club, sits second with eight goals. Close behind him is Pa Omar Babou, the energetic Gambian winger of Fortis FC, whose six goals have played a key role in his side’s stunning first-phase run.
In fourth place, Ghanaian forward Samuel Boateng shares the spotlight with Bashundhara Kings and Bangladesh national team striker Foysal Ahmed Fahim, both scoring five goals each. Fahim is the only local footballer to break into the top five, a rare bright spot for Bangladeshi attackers in a scoring chart otherwise dominated by foreigners.
Further down the list, Abahani winger Shekh Morsalin has scored three goals, while eight Bangladeshi players managed two goals each in the opening phase—among them Rakib Hossain (Bashundhara Kings), Al-Amin (Abahani), Mohammad Arian (Fakirerpool), Irfan Hossen (Fakirerpool), Kazi Rahad Mia (Arambagh), Minhazul Karim Shadin (PWD), Rahim Uddin (Mohammedan), Riaj Uddin Sagor (Fortis)—reflecting the widespread but modest local contribution in front of goal.
 With the first phase now complete and the second player registration window opening until 31 January, clubs will have time to reassess and reinforce. As the league pauses before the second round, the early patterns are clear: a tight title race at the top, Fortis refusing to fade, Kings still setting the attacking standard, and a goal-scoring race led decisively by foreign firepower. What follows promises to be an even more intense and defining chapter of the season.