FIFA, AFC qualifiers: Footballers to hold first training session Saturday

Bangladesh national football team will hold their first training session on Saturday (August 24) for the joint qualification (Round-1) for the FIFA World Cup 2022 and AFC Asian Cup 2023.

The session will start at 10 am at Bangabandhu National Stadium here, said Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) in a press release.

The players joined and reported for the residential camp at Hotel Fars here on Friday.

After the camp, BFF will finalize the 23-member final squad on August 31.

Earlier, BFF announced a 25-member preliminary squad for the camp on August 16.

Later, Head coach Jamie Day included an additional goalkeeper Mazharul Islam Himel for finalising a 23-member squad for the joint qualifiers. 

Bangladesh were put in Group E along with Qatar, Oman, neighboring India and Afghanistan.

Bangladesh team will fly for Tajikistan on September 1 on a nine-day training session, ahead of their first match against Afghanistan on September 10 in Tajik capital Dushanbe.

The players will play two preparatory matches against two leading Tajik football clubs on September 3 and 5 during the training session.    

Bangladesh will play their home match against stronger Qatar on October 10, away match with India on October 15, away match against Oman on November 14 and home match with Afghanistan on March 26, away match with Qatar on March 31 and home matches with India on June 4 and Oman on June 9.

Bangladesh Team for residential camp: Ashraful Islam Rana, Shahidul Alam Sohel, Anisur Rahman, Tutul Hossain Badsha, Sushanto Tripura, Rahmat Mia, SM Monjurur Rahman, Yeasin Khan, Bishwanath Ghosh, Riyadul Hasan, Nurul Naium Faisal, Yeasin Arafat, Masuk Miah Zoni, Jamal Bhuiyan, Mamunul Islam Mamun, Sohel Rana, Rabiul Hasan, Biplu Ahamed, Arifur Rahman, Mohammad Ibrahim, Mohammad Nabib Newaz Ziban, Mahbubur Rahman, Matin Miah, Saad Uddin, Mazharul Islam Himel and Jewel Rana.