Bangladesh win race for ASEAN Cup spot

Bangladesh will compete in the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup after football's world governing body approved its request to replace India, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) announced on Saturday.

The confirmation ends days of uncertainty following India's last-minute withdrawal from the tournament. Bangladesh had sent a letter to FIFA asking to take their place, and finally received the green light late on Friday.

"We received confirmation from FIFA on Friday night that we can play in the ASEAN Cup. We have already informed FIFA that we will play," BFF media committee chairman Amirul Islam Babu told reporters following an executive committee meeting on Saturday.

The first edition of the FIFA ASEAN Cup will run from 24 September to 4 October. Bangladesh will play in the Premier Division, with their group matches taking place in Jakarta, Indonesia. They join Singapore and Malaysia in the group, taking the spot originally drawn for India. While the Southeast Asian opponents are strong, the BFF views the tough competition as a positive opportunity to prepare for the upcoming SAFF Championship.

Key players, including Hamza Choudhury and Shamit Shome, will be part of the squad for the ASEAN campaign.

"We will include every player who will play for the national team in the SAFF tournament, and we will take that exact team to Indonesia," Babu said. "The matches will be in Jakarta, and we will keep a close eye to ensure our players enjoy all the necessary facilities."

The federation is also looking at additional fixtures before the SAFF Championship in November. "We have plenty of time. We will speak with our coach and try to arrange more practice matches, whether at home or in a neighbouring country, if needed," Babu added.

The national team’s training camp to prepare for the ASEAN Cup is scheduled to begin on 27 August. Head coach Thomas Dooley had previously expressed concerns about a lack of player fitness, as the domestic season has not yet started. However, with the ASEAN Cup confirmed, those preparations will now get under way quickly. Meanwhile, the start of the domestic football season has been delayed. The new season will kick off with Bangladesh Football League matches on 18 September, which will overlap with the national team's camp. When asked whether local clubs would release their players outside the official FIFA international window, Babu replied: "The clubs and the federation will coordinate this."