No govt money, full support for Brazil friendly: Aminul

Bangladesh government will not spend public money to host a proposed friendly football match against five-time world champions Brazil, the country's Youth and Sports state minister Aminul Haque said on Tuesday, insisting private sponsors must cover the cost.

Staging the high-profile fixture is estimated to cost between Tk50cr to Tk60cr.

"The government is carrying major financial burdens in key sectors like power and energy. The situation does not allow spending state funds on a single football match," the former national goalkeeper told reporters at the Mohammad Ali Boxing Stadium.

"If the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) can meet the expenses through sponsorships, the government will provide all necessary cooperation," he added, noting that discussions with BFF President Tabith Awal remain at a preliminary stage.

Bangladesh has a massive and passionate following for Brazilian football, but the minister cautioned that the mega-event would not instantly solve local football's structural problems. The BFF is still burdened by debt from hosting an Argentina versus Nigeria friendly in Dhaka in 2011.

"If Brazil come and play against Bangladesh, it will fulfil fans' dreams and be a huge achievement," Aminul said. "However, I am not very optimistic about how much Bangladesh football will actually progress from this match. Long-term improvement requires building talent from the grassroots."

A five-member delegation from the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) recently inspected Dhaka's National Stadium and the Bashundhara Kings Arena to assess the feasibility of playing Bangladesh on 5 or 6 October, though no deal has been signed.

The minister emphasised that the government's priority is scouting young talent nationwide and providing long-term training at the national sports institute (BKSP) to build a solid foundation over the next decade.