Uncertainty looms over BFL start as 10 clubs demand availability of national players

Uncertainty has deepened over the start of the Bangladesh Football League (BFL) after 10 clubs demanded national players’ availability for the BFL and Federation Cup.

Abahani Limited, Mohammedan SC and Brothers Union are among the 10 clubs that submitted a joint six-point proposal and a set of observations to Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) president Tabith Awal on Tuesday.

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The remaining three BFL clubs--Bashundhara Kings, Fortis FC and Bangladesh Police FC--did not sign the joint application.

The BFF had tentatively set September 18 as the starting date for the new professional season. However, the clubs are opposed to playing league and Federation Cup matches without their national players, who are currently in the national camp preparing for the FIFA ASEAN Cup in Indonesia from September 21 to October 6.

The clubs’ position has now cast serious doubt over the proposed September 18 start. If they maintain their demand, the BFL is unlikely to begin before the national players return, meaning the season could instead start in the second week of October.

“The clubs strongly demand that once national team’s players return to their respective clubs, the Bangladesh Football League and Federation Cup have to be started uninterruptedly,” the clubs said in their proposal.

They argued that repeated interruptions cause financial losses for the clubs while also affecting players’ physical fitness, match rhythm and mental readiness.

Around 28 players from Bashundhara Kings, Mohammedan SC, Abahani, Brothers Union, Bangladesh Police FC, Fortis FC, City Club and Chittagong City FC are currently training with the national team under German-American coach Thomas Dooley.

The clubs have also called for financial compensation from the BFF for the costs of maintaining training camps and paying player salaries during prolonged league suspensions. Their other demands include participation money, representation of clubs on the Professional Football League Committee, matches at the National Stadium and a more balanced league calendar.

The uncertainty comes even though the BFF has already announced a tentative date. As of Tuesday, however, the federation had yet to publish the BFL fixtures or conduct the Federation Cup draw.

Even if the league eventually starts in October, another interruption is looming. The SAFF Championship is scheduled to be held in Dhaka from November 4 to 17, which could once again disrupt the domestic calendar.

With 10 clubs now insisting that they will not play without their national-team footballers, the BFF faces a difficult scheduling challenge: either proceed with the September 18 plan without the national players or postpone the start until the international commitments are over.