Bangladesh, Türkiye affirm mutual cooperation for football development

Bangladesh and Türkiye have agreed to enhance cooperation in the development of football.

The agreement was reached during a bilateral meeting between Bangladesh's Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain and Turkish Football Federation President İbrahim Ethem Hacıosmanoğlu at the TTF headquarters in Istanbul today (4 July), reads a press release.

The adviser highlighted the recent resurgence of football in Bangladesh, including the inclusion of players of Bangladeshi descent in the national team and ongoing efforts to establish a sustainable football ecosystem.

He noted the strong fan base of the Turkish national team in Bangladesh and proposed organising a friendly match between the two countries as a way to further strengthen sports-related ties between their peoples.

The TFF president warmly welcomed the proposal and stated that, if all goes well, a friendly match between the women's national teams of Bangladesh and Türkiye could be organised as early as August.

He also assured comprehensive support for the development of Bangladesh's football infrastructure, including technical assistance, training of coaches and referees, sports medicine, and experience-sharing initiatives.

At one point in the discussion, the adviser praised Türkiye's bold and humanitarian leadership in the Muslim world — particularly acknowledging President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's role.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the adviser invited the TFF President to attend the upcoming Global Youth Summit to be held in Bangladesh in September.

Both parties expressed their confidence that this meeting marks the beginning of a new chapter in Bangladesh-Türkiye sports cooperation, which will foster deeper and more productive engagements in the days ahead.