Clockwise (from bottom, left): Bangladesh women's football team players and officials were accorded a reception by the BFF upon their arrival from Myanmar at the Hatirjheel Amphitheatre, Shamit Shome (L) celebrates with Hamza Chowdhury after scoring his first goal for Bangladesh, against Hong Kong, China, at the Dhaka National Stadium, Mohammedan Sporting Club players and officials celebrate their Bangladesh Premier League title with the trophy at the Shaheed Dhirendranath Dutta Stadium in Cumilla and Bangladesh national women's team players speaking to the media at the BFF House premises in the city — BFF Photos The 2025 will be remembered as a watershed year for Bangladeshi football. After decades on the fringes of regional relevance, the nation's footballing identity underwent a dramatic resurgence, driven by diaspora integration, landmark victories, and unprecedented success in the women's game, report agencies.
The arrival of high-profile expatriate players such as Hamza Chowdhury and Shamit Shome injected new belief into the men's national team, culminating in a historic victory over arch-rivals India that reignited public passion for the sport. At the same time, the women's national team etched their names into history with groundbreaking achievements on the international stage.
Yet, this footballing renaissance unfolded alongside persistent turmoil within the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), highlighting a year of both triumph and turbulence for the beautiful game in Bangladesh.
Rebellion and the rise of women's football
The year 2025 began with unprecedented drama in Bangladeshi women's football. On 30 January, 18 senior players, including captain Sabina Khatun and Rituparna Chakma, revolted against head coach Peter Butler, throwing the national setup into turmoil. The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) headquarters became a center of tension as uncertainty loomed over the future of the team.
Intervention by newly elected BFF president Tabith Awal helped ease the immediate crisis, but the rebellion left a lasting impact. Senior players like Sabina and
Krishna Rani Sarkar stepped away from the national team, turning to futsal for new opportunities. Yet, on the pitch, the women's team continued to shine.
A historic victory over Myanmar secured Bangladesh's first-ever qualification for the AFC Women's Asian Cup finals. The momentum continued as the Under-20 women's team also qualified for the AFC Asian Cup and won the SAFF Under-20 Championship, taking Bangladeshi women's football to unprecedented heights.
The Hamza-Shamit effect revives
The year 2025 will be remembered as the "year of expatriates" in Bangladesh football. In March, when English Premier League midfielder Hamza Chowdhury took to the field in the Bangladesh jersey in Shillong, the nation was gripped by football fever. The excitement surged further in June with the arrival of former Canada international Shamit Shome.
Their presence electrified stadiums, creating an atmosphere not seen in decades. Sold-out matches and roaring chants were a clear sign that football remains deeply loved by Bangladeshi fans. Fueled by this newfound momentum, Bangladesh climbed to 180th in the FIFA rankings - marking arguably the team's most remarkable achievement of the year.
National Stadium roars back to life
After four long years of silence and extensive renovations, Bangladesh's iconic football arena - the National Stadium - has finally reopened. Work that began in July 2021 had stretched on for years, leaving the historic venue in a state of limbo.
The long wait ended 43 months after Bangladesh last hosted an international match there, following the memorable series against Nepal on 17 November 2020. In June 2025, the stadium came alive once more as Bangladesh took on Singapore, bringing back the vibrancy and energy fans had been missing for years.
Mohammedan triumphs amid FIFA sanctions
Domestically, 2025 was a year of resurgence for Dhaka Mohammedan. After a 22-year wait, the club finally clinched the Bangladesh Premier League title, ending their long drought since 2002.
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