Bangladesh to host Nepal as Myanmar 'refuse' to play in Dhaka

The Bangladesh national football team will play a FIFA friendly against Nepal on November 13, confirmed BFF competitions committee chairman Golam Gauss, after Myanmar's refusal to play in Dhaka forced cancellation of Bangladesh's scheduled friendly against Afghanistan.

Afghanistan were scheduled to host Myanmar for an AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers fixture on November 18. It was supposed to be used as a home venue for Afghanistan, a first in Bangladesh's history of acting as a neutral venue. With that fixture in sights, BFF had arranged for a friendly against Afghanistan at the National Stadium in Dhaka on November 13, the federation confirmed to the media.

However, it has now been learnt from BFF sources that Myanmar FA has written to its Afghan counterparts its unwillingness to send the team to Bangladesh. The Afghan FA, meanwhile, relayed the information to BFF, asking for the cancellation of the Nov 13 friendly.

Read more

Bangladesh to host Afghanistan in November FIFA window

BFF, meanwhile, contacted All Nepal Football Association and convinced Nepal team to play a friendly match on November 13 in Dhaka.

Golam Gauss disclosed the information to The Daily Star.

"Nepal will play the FIFA friendly against Bangladesh. We can confirm this after having spoken with the ANFA," Gauss told The Daily Star.

"Myanmar didn't want to play in Dhaka against Afghanistan. The correspondence took place between Myanmar and Afghanistan since Afghanistan were the hosts for the AFC fixture. But that fixture cancellation prompted Afghanistan to cancel the friendly as well," the former national team footballer added.

Bangladesh are scheduled to host India for an Asian Cup Qualifiers fixture in Dhaka on November 18. The men in red and green had travelled to Nepal to play two FIFA friendlies in early September, but had to return early after the second match was cancelled following a political upheaval in the country. The first match had ended in a goalless draw.