SAARC players get local status from next season

Players from South Asian nations will be treated as local footballers for the upcoming 2025–26 season, decided Professional League Management Committee (PLMC) of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF).

An emergency meeting of the BFF executive committee held yesterday approved the PLMC's decisions.

"If any clubs want to field players from SAARC countries, they will be treated as local players, and we will decide about the quota after discussing the matter with the clubs," PLMC chairman and BFF senior vice president Imrul Hasan told reporters after the meeting at the BFF House.

PLMC also barred members of the BFF executive committee, along with those from its standing and ad hoc committees, from being present in club dugouts.
The player registration window for the new season will run from June 1 to August 14, with the season kicking off on September 12 through a one-off Challenge Cup match.

The committee confirmed five competitions for the season: Challenge Cup, Federation Cup, Independence Cup, Super Cup, and Bangladesh Premier League.

Last season, clubs could register six foreign players, of whom four were eligible to play. This time, though, each club can sign five foreign players, but only three can feature in any given match. Clubs will be allowed to make in-game foreign player substitutions.

The BFF senior vice president further informed: "Other nations of South Asia, including India, are probably also going to implement this idea as per the suggestions of the South Asian Football Federation."

Asked if the new policy would reduce opportunities for Bangladeshi players, Imrul hasan replied, "We want to see it in an another and a more positive way: that Bangladeshi footballers will also have the opportunity to play in leagues beyond Bangladesh."