By Audite Karim: Bangladesh is once again gripped by football fever. Across the country, millions stay awake through the night to watch World Cup matches, turning the tournament into a nationwide celebration. The nation often appears divided between supporters of Argentina and Brazil, though fans of France, Portugal, England, Germany, Morocco and several other teams are also plentiful.
From cities to remote villages, giant screens are set up for public viewing. Among the most notable venues is the area surrounding the University of Dhaka, where match nights transform the campus into what feels like a miniature Buenos Aires or Rio de Janeiro. Students and football enthusiasts from all walks of life gather to watch games together, creating an atmosphere that rivals a packed stadium.
The passion reaches extraordinary levels. Argentine Ambassador Marcelo Carlos Cesáreo once remarked that he felt as though he were in Argentina while watching a World Cup match among Bangladeshi supporters. Across the country, hotels, restaurants, cafes and university campuses host special World Cup events, while homes remain awake deep into the night for crucial fixtures.
Supporters proudly wear the jerseys of their favorite teams, decorate streets with national flags, and even organize victory processions. In some cases, fans distribute sweets or host community feasts after major wins. Social media becomes a battleground of memes, banter and spirited debate.
For a month and a half, the World Cup offers an escape from the country’s everyday challenges. In a nation of more than 170 million people, finding someone indifferent to football is difficult. Bangladesh may well be one of the most football-passionate countries in the world.
Yet despite this immense enthusiasm, Bangladesh has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup. In fact, the men’s national team has appeared in the AFC Asian Cup only once, in 1980. The women’s team has made notable progress in recent years, but overall, Bangladesh remains far from competing among Asia’s football elite. The country currently sits near the bottom of the FIFA rankings.
This raises an important question: Why does a country so obsessed with football struggle to succeed on the global stage?
Research by FIFA has often highlighted fan support as a critical factor in football development. By that measure, Bangladesh should be thriving. Football enjoys immense popularity, comparable in passion to countries such as Argentina, Brazil and England. Yet the domestic game remains weak and underdeveloped.
One reason lies in the lack of strong club structures. Around the world, successful football cultures are built on the foundations of clubs. Clubs identify talent, develop players from a young age, invest in academies and create sustainable pathways to professional football. The academies of clubs such as Manchester United, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Arsenal and Manchester City have become global models for player development.
In Bangladesh, however, most clubs have historically failed to establish long-term youth development systems. Rather than nurturing talent from the grassroots level, many have relied on ready-made players. As a result, the country’s football ecosystem has struggled to become self-sustaining.
An exception has been Bashundhara Kings, widely regarded as one of the most professionally managed football clubs in Bangladesh. Through significant investment, modern management and a focus on development, the club has raised standards and demonstrated what a professional football structure can achieve.
The broader challenge is that few other clubs have followed a similar path. Traditional giants such as Abahani, Mohammedan and Brothers Union continue to face financial and structural difficulties. Without stable revenue streams and long-term planning, meaningful football development becomes difficult.
Bangladesh is home to dozens of major industrial groups. If more corporate entities invested in football clubs and youth development, following successful professional models, the sport could experience a significant transformation.
Equally important is the expansion of football academies. These institutions are essential for identifying and nurturing talent from an early age. At present, Bangladesh has very few high-quality football academies, with Bashundhara Football Academy and BKSP among the notable examples. Without a nationwide academy system, sustainable progress in football will remain elusive.
The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) must also rethink its approach. History shows that football rarely flourishes through government support alone. The most successful football nations have built their strength through robust club systems and long-term development strategies.
Consider Lionel Messi. The Argentine legend was not developed by the Argentine Football Association but by Barcelona’s renowned La Masia academy. Diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency as a child, Messi moved to Spain at the age of 13 and received the support and training that helped transform him into one of the greatest footballers in history. His story illustrates the power of professional club development.
The same principle applies everywhere. Great players are created through strong club systems, professional coaching and sustained investment. If Bangladesh wants to revive its football fortunes, it must prioritize club development, expand youth academies, invest in grassroots football and ensure sports administration remains free from political interference.
For a country with millions of passionate football fans, continued underachievement is difficult to accept. Bangladesh possesses the passion. What it now needs is the vision, infrastructure and commitment to turn that passion into success on the field.