Bangladesh Football Federation Delays Season Start Due to Transfer Bans

BFF pushes back new season again as transfer-ban trio miss deadline

The Bangladesh Football Federation has been forced to redraw its domestic calendar once more, with three of the country’s biggest clubs still stuck under FIFA transfer bans.

Bashundhara Kings, Abahani and Young Men's Fakirerpool Club have failed to lift their player registration sanctions despite repeated extensions, leaving the BFF with little choice but to delay the start of the 2026-27 Bangladesh Football League.

The federation has now set 3 September 2026 as the final deadline for all participating clubs to complete their first-phase player registration. Miss that date, and there will be nowhere left to hide.

Season kick-off, cup reshuffled

The knock-on effect is significant. The new domestic season, originally pencilled in for 25 August, will now kick off on 18 September.

The shake-up hits the Federation Cup as well. Initially scheduled to begin on 28 August, the country’s curtain-raising tournament has been pushed back to 22 September. Matches will be spread across Munshiganj, Manikganj, Gopalganj and the National Stadium in Dhaka, turning the opening weeks into a travelling roadshow for top-flight football.

National team squeezed into tight window

All of this unfolds against the backdrop of the upcoming FIFA international window, which runs from 21 September to 6 October. To protect preparation time, the BFF has ordered the national team camp to start on 27 August.

So while clubs scramble to sort registrations and reshape pre-season plans, the national side will already be in camp, trying to build momentum in a congested calendar.

Fortis FC’s Asia duty adds fresh complication

Just as the domestic picture looks crowded enough, Fortis FC’s involvement in the AFC Challenge League adds another twist.

The group stage of the continental competition is set for 17–23 October in Kuwait, creating a clear gap in the local fixture list. To avoid constant chopping and changing, the BFF has decided that Fortis’s matches in both the Bangladesh Football League and the Federation Cup will be slotted in after the completion of the first phase of the league.

It means one club’s Asian adventure will reshape the rhythm of the early season at home. With bans to clear, deadlines looming and a national team to prepare, Bangladesh’s new campaign is already battling the clock before a ball has even been kicked.