Bangladesh’s match against Singapore can be a turning point in our footballing history

After a commendable performance against India at the AFC Asian Cup Qualifier in March this year, the Bangladesh men's national football team is set to face Singapore in the third round of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers at the National Stadium in Dhaka on June 10. The excitement amongst fans surrounding this match is palpable. Despite it being a qualifying match, it has the potential to create a spark that can change the course of Bangladesh's footballing history.

Bangladesh football had been going through a slump for quite a while. Currently ranked 183rd in the world, the team was ranked below 190 just a couple of years ago. While the team tried its best under the captaincy of Jamal Bhuyan, poor results and management of the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) would leave fans with little to be excited about.

Nevertheless, that all started to change when rumours surfaced of Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury (currently on loan at Sheffield United) switching his international allegiance to Bangladesh. On top of that, the previous BFF administration, largely disliked by the fans, was replaced by a new one, led by current BFF president Tabith Awal. Soon after that, Hamza's arrival was confirmed as well.

With a new administration in place and a player with Premier League experience representing the country, fans started to hope, and their enthusiasm was noticeable online. Football fans started to talk about the national team more often, Facebook groups discussing the national team began popping up, and the once largely ignored BFF Facebook page was now enjoying regular interactions from the fans.

Amidst this growing enthusiasm, the team had an amazing opportunity during Hamza's debut match for Bangladesh against India to give the fans a victory. The match ended in a 0-0 draw, but going toe-to-toe with a much higher-ranked India on their own turf gave the fans a reason to expect big things from Bangladesh in the next few matches.

This is where the match against Singapore comes in. Not only is this a must-win game for Bangladesh in order to solidify their chances to qualify for the Asian Cup, it is expected to be Hamza's first competitive match at home. The match is also expected to see the highly anticipated competitive debut of Bangladeshi-origin Canadian Premier League midfielder Shamit Shome if everything goes according to plan. BFF also has plans to set up trials for more Bangladeshi-origin players from abroad in the near future.

The match against Singapore will also be an opportunity for fans to witness their team in a competitive match live for the first time in the newly renovated National Stadium, which was under renovation and thus closed to the public since September 2021. It's as if the stage could not have been set any more perfectly for the newly rejuvenated Bangladesh football team to show what they can do.

Coincidentally, all this is happening at a time when the popularity of the Bangladesh Men's National Cricket Team, the most followed sports team in the country, is in decline due to its string of poor performances, with the latest disappointment coming in the form of a series loss against the United Arab Emirates (UAE). With the cricket team in shambles, the football team has the opportunity to capitalise and shift the national attention to football by securing an inspiring victory.

While the objective of this match is to secure points for qualification for the AFC Asian Cup, the significance of this match goes beyond that. A win will not only help us to qualify but also potentially initiate a new beginning in Bangladesh football and revitalise the country's football culture by both retaining current fans and welcoming new ones.

With so much to look forward to, Bangladeshi football fans are counting the days left to face Singapore. An opportunity like this has not come in a long time and it's up to the team to make the most of it.

Tamjidul Hoque is an LLB graduate, you can contact him at [email protected]