Federation Cup kicks off today with promise of intense competition

The curtain rises today on the Federation Cup at two different venues, promising a competitive tournament as mid-table teams have bolstered their squads by signing players from the SAARC region to close the gap in local talent.

In today's Group B fixtures, defending champions Bashundhara Kings will face Fortis at the Bashundhara Kings Arena, while crowd favourites Mohammedan take on Bangladesh Police at the Shaheed Dhirendranath Datta Stadium. Both matches are scheduled to kick off at 2:45 PM.

Last season's Federation Cup title race was largely dominated by the big-budgeted clubs -- 12-time champions Abahani, 11-time champions Mohammedan, and four-time champions Bashundhara Kings. Interestingly, none of these three giants opted to sign players from South Asia. In contrast, mid-table teams such as Bangladesh Police, Fortis, Brothers Union, and Rahmatganj have brought in SAARC players, considered to be on par with the top local talents -- complementing their squads alongside three foreign signings allowed under the international player quota.

Star-studded Bashundhara Kings, regarded as the strongest team on paper, have already asserted their dominance by clinching the one-off Challenge Cup with a convincing 4-1 win over Mohammedan on Friday. Meanwhile, Abahani are expected to field a stronger side than last season. Still, with the growing strength of mid-table teams, it wouldn't be surprising if one of the traditional "big three" fail to reach the grand finale scheduled for April 10 next year.

"Except for Bashundhara Kings and Abahani, there's hardly any difference among the remaining teams, which makes this Federation Cup highly competitive," Mohammedan coach Alfaz Ahmed told The Daily Star.

He admitted that his team lacks cohesion due to limited preparation, primarily caused by the absence of key national players during pre-season. "We'll do our best to move forward and maintain our position," added the former national forward.

Bangladesh Police are expected to pose a serious challenge to Mohammedan, having already defeated them in a pre-season warm-up match.

"Police are enjoying better facilities -- ranging from performance analysts to improved accommodation -- which has mentally prepared our players to deliver something special," said head coach Asifuzzaman. He believes the psychological edge gained from the earlier win against Mohammedan could prove crucial.

Asifuzzaman also emphasised that teams like Police, Fortis, Rahmatganj, and Brothers Union have a realistic chance of causing upsets, especially as Mohammedan seem weaker compared to last season.

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Fortis coach Masud Parvez Kaiser echoed the sentiment, expressing confidence in his team's ability to beat any opponent on their day -- just as they did last season by defeating Bashundhara Kings in the Federation Cup.

However, Kaiser voiced concern over maintaining consistency, with the Federation Cup and the upcoming Bangladesh Premier League facing a prolonged break from September 29 to November 23. This suspension is due to international commitments involving the national team and Bashundhara Kings, and may affect the players' rhythm and form.

With these dynamics in play, this year's Federation Cup promises more excitement, unpredictability, and perhaps a few surprises along the way.