Hamza joins squad ahead of Sri Lanka clash

The men in red and green got a major boost ahead of their final Group A match in the ongoing SAFF Championship 2026 against Sri Lanka when star defensive midfielder Hamza Choudhury joined the squad on Monday.

Hamza landed in Dhaka on Monday morning with his family and went straight to join his teammates at the hotel just before breakfast. 

He then boarded the team bus for the Bashundhara Kings Arena at ABG Sports City to complete the day’s training session.

Bangladesh, who previously beat Bhutan 1-0 in their opening match of the tournament, qualified for the semifinals after Sri Lanka and Bhutan played out a 2-2 draw.

However, Thomas Dooley's side will face Sri Lanka on Wednesday in their final group match to determine their top-spot ranking for the knockout phase.

"Hamza is a very important player for us. His arrival has inspired every player in the team… his addition is very important for us," said Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Executive Committee member Imtiaz Hamid Sobuj.

Meanwhile, following the warm-up, Hamza partnered forward Mohammad Ibrahim who scored the winner against Bhutan in a series of drills that could prove crucial for Bangladesh's attacking plans against Sri Lanka.