Domestic season delay looms

The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) is set to delay the start of the domestic season to prioritise a training camp for the national team ahead of the September FIFA international window.

It is still uncertain whether Bangladesh will play in the ASEAN Cup or another tournament in this September. Amid this doubt, the domestic season, which was scheduled to kick off on 25 August with the Federation Cup, is now heading towards a postponement. Head coach Thomas Dooley recently expressed his concerns regarding the national team's preparation. To address this, the BFF is planning to set up an early training camp to keep the players ready.

Federation sources said the national camp is being given priority over the start of the local league. The BFF executive committee will hold its seventh regular meeting on Saturday afternoon, where official decisions regarding the delay of the domestic season and the start of the national camp are expected.

The meeting's agenda includes reading and approving the minutes from previous regular and emergency meetings, presenting the general secretary's report, and discussing matters from the sixth adjourned meeting. The committee will also finalise the date and venue for the BFF Congress 2025.

However, the miscellaneous section of the agenda is drawing the most interest, as the final call on the start of the domestic football season is likely to be made there.

Starting the season on 25 August is now seen as impossible. Apart from Fortis FC and Bangladesh Police Football Club, who are preparing for AFC club competitions, no other domestic teams have started full practice yet. This lack of preparation has raised serious questions about starting the competition on time.

The BFF is looking to adjust the domestic calendar to create enough time for the national team to prepare. Bangladesh started a new chapter in international football last June under their new coach, Dooley. Under his management, Bangladesh secured a 2-1 away victory against European side San Marino. Although the exact fixtures for the September window are not yet confirmed, the federation wants to begin the camp early to ensure the players do not suffer from a lack of preparation.