BFF set to split national team for Europe and Maldives assignments

The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) will split their senior national team in two this June.

While one half of the squad travels to Europe for a historic friendly against San Marino, the other will compete in a four-nation tournament in the Maldives.

The BFF originally planned to send an Under-23 team to the Maldives, but changed their minds after a special request from the host nation, deciding instead to divide their senior resources to ensure representation on both fronts.

Shahadat Hossain, member of the national team management committee, noted that the increasing competitiveness of the domestic league has provided the federation with a deeper talent pool than in previous years.

“Our league is very competitive now. If you look at the table, the teams are very close. We have enough players. Because of this, we decided not to prioritise the U-23s. Since we have enough players, we will form two teams. One national team will head to San Marino, and the other to the Maldives,” he explained.

While the San Marino fixture on 5 June is expected to carry the official FIFA weight and attract the most international eyes, the BFF is keen to avoid fielding a “B-team” in the Maldives.

Amirul Islam Babu, chairman of the media committee, emphasised that balance is the priority: “We will add more players to our current squad as needed to create two teams of equal strength.”

The burning question for supporters remains the destination of the nation’s high-profile stars, particularly Leicester City’s Hamza Choudhury and Shamit Shome.

While the final selection rests with the head coach, Shahadat confirmed the general strategy: “The big stars will go to Europe. However, some of our overseas players will also play in the Maldives.”

The European venture is being viewed as a landmark moment for Bangladeshi football, a chance to elevate the “brand value” of the national game.

“This is the first time we are going to play against a country in Europe,” Shahadat added. “Many European nations are now showing interest in playing against Bangladesh. We are optimistic that if we achieve good results, we will receive more invitations in the future.”

Preparations are set to intensify with a domestic training camp beginning on 24 May, with the local squad expected to battle through the sweltering, humid conditions typical of the impending monsoon season in the capital.

However, Hamza will bypass the Dhaka camp entirely. It has been confirmed that the marquee midfielder will instead fly directly from England to link up with the squad upon their arrival in San Marino.