Bangladesh’s Returning FIFA World Cup Festival Runners-Up Receive Tk 2.5 Million

Bangladesh’s Under-15 team returned home yesterday after finishing runners-up in the E-tier of the FIFA Under-15 World Cup Festival in Baku, Azerbaijan. The young Red and Greens finished second after losing 4-1 to the Central African Republic in last Friday’s final. Following their return, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) hosted a reception to honour the team’s achievement and announced a total prize of Tk 2.5 million for the players.

At a reception held yesterday at the BFF headquarters in Motijheel, Youth and Sports State Minister Aminul Haque announced a reward of Tk 100,000 for each player on behalf of the ministry. Meanwhile, BFF Vice-President Naser Shahriar Zahedi awarded Tk 50,000 each to the players and members of the coaching staff. He had earlier announced a Tk 1 million bonus for the team immediately after their defeat in the final. FIFA organised the global football festival for the first time at the Under-15 level, aiming to attract more young people to football and develop their skills. Bangladesh finished runners-up in the E-tier, or fifth tier, but ranked 130th overall among the 187 participating countries. Spain won the main title. Beyond the overall standings, several Bangladeshi players attracted attention with their performances. Goalkeeper Srinath Halder, in particular, produced outstanding saves in penalty shootouts in two matches. Performances by several other players have also reportedly drawn interest from foreign clubs.

Sports State Minister Aminul Haque stressed the importance of nurturing the young footballers’ potential. “Regardless of the results or rankings, Bangladeshi footballers have potential. I attended the reception to encourage them. The BFF must take responsibility for developing players’ skills through long-term training. The ministry will also provide the necessary support,” he said. BFF President Tabith Awal said the federation was working to develop football at the grassroots level. “The BFF organised an Under-15 tournament across the country over nearly a year. Players were then selected for a training camp, and through this process Bangladesh qualified to participate in the FIFA Under-15 World Cup Festival,” he said. Assuring continuity in the young players’ training, he added that the Ministry of Youth and Sports was supporting the federation.