BFL’s return to National Stadium uncertain

The return of the country’s top-tier football competition, the Bangladesh Football League (BFL), to the National Stadium has once again been delayed after the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) released the second-phase fixtures on Saturday without scheduling any league matches at the renovated venue.

The top-tier matches have not been held at the National Stadium for more than four years due to extensive renovation work costing Tk 158 crore. As a result, league fixtures were shifted outside Dhaka, depriving many supporters in the capital of the chance to watch top-flight football.

The renovation was completed in June last year, and the stadium has since hosted several events, including three Asian Cup qualifiers, preliminary-round matches of the AFC Challenge League, a tri-nation women’s football tournament, two Latin Bangla Super Cup matches, and the semifinals and final of the Inter-University Football Tournament. Despite this, the BFF remains reluctant to bring the BFL back to the National Stadium, even though Abahani and Mohammedan -- the country’s two biggest crowd-pullers -- have shown interest in using it as their home venue.

Ahead of the current season, Mohammedan formally applied to make the venue their home ground, while Abahani also verbally expressed similar interest. The BFF rejected both requests, citing plans to plant new grass at the venue after the India-Bangladesh match on November 18, 2025.

However, no initiative has so far been taken to plant new grass. National Sports Council (NSC) assistant director (planning and development) Md Nasir Uddin told The Daily Star on Sunday that the NSC has no such project in place and that the BFF has not submitted any proposal regarding grass replacement.

Although BFF president Tabith Awal recently told a Bengali daily that BFL matches would return to the country’s premier venue, if grass plantation was delayed.

Clubs across the league are keen for matches to return to Dhaka, citing financial strain, playing conditions and the need to maintain growing spectator interest. Most teams, from top to bottom, have struggled financially this season, with travel costs significantly increasing their expenses.

“It is very difficult for smaller teams to play outside Dhaka every week, as it costs around Tk 2 lakh per match,” said Arambagh official Yaqub Ali. “If we can play even two matches in Dhaka, we could save Tk 4 lakh, which would help cover camp expenses by about Tk 25,000 per day. Unfortunately, the BFF has ignored our repeated appeals.”

PWD SC manager Engineer Iftekharul Islam echoed the concern. “Shifting some BFL matches to the National Stadium would reduce the financial burden on smaller clubs. We have already spent more than Tk 2 lakh playing two matches in Cumilla,” he said. “The ground there is also not up to standard, so matches at the National Stadium would improve the quality of play.”

Mohammedan manager Imtiaz Ahmed Nakib reiterated his club’s stance, saying, “There is no engagement at the National Stadium at the moment. The BFL can return to the home of football in a good environment and amid strong spectator interest.”