Bangladesh in SAFF Championship 2026 — Squad begins preparations in Dhaka; Hamza likely out vs Bhutan
The preliminary squad of Bangladesh assembled at the National Stadium in Dhaka to gear up for its SAFF Championship, which begins on November 5. | Photo Credit: Bangladesh Football Federation
The preliminary squad of Bangladesh assembled at the National Stadium in Dhaka to gear up for its SAFF Championship, which begins on November 5. | Photo Credit: Bangladesh Football Federation
Bangladesh began its preparations for the 2026 SAFF Championship on Monday, with most members of the preliminary squad at the National Stadium in Dhaka before the tournament.
The Bengal Tigers have been drawn in Group A alongside Bhutan and Sri Lanka, and open their campaign against Bhutan on November 5. Accordingly, coach Thomas Dooley called up a 28-member preliminary squad for a national camp before the tournament.
Among promising faces in the squad are Bangladeshi-origin forward Ronan Sullivan, who rose to fame with a match-winning penalty against India in the SAFF U-20 Championship. The 18-year-old will be joined by another teenager, Mohammed Mahe Khan, who plays in the lower divisions of English football.
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Veteran defender Topu Barman has returned from injury that ruled him out of the ASEAN Cup, while midfielder Hamza Choudhury and winger Farhaan Ali Wahid are likely to miss the Bhutan clash.
Bangladesh last played at the venue in November 2025 when it beat higher-ranked India 1-0 in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers.
Dooley will shortlist a 22-member team from the preliminary roster for the SAFF Championship, which will take place between November 5 and 17 in Dhaka.
Bangladesh’s preliminary squad for SAFF Championship
Goalkeepers: Mitul Marma, Sujon Hossain, Mehdi Hasan Srabon
Defenders: Topu Barman, Bishwanath Ghosh, Saad Uddin, Rahmat Mia, Zidane Yousuf, Isa Faysal, Tariq Kazi, Zayyan Ahmed
Midfielders: Jamal Bhuyan, Rakib Hossain, Hamza Choudhury, Shamit Shome, Md Sohel Rana[jr], Sohel Rana [sr], Md Ridoy, Syed Quazem Shah, Shekh Morsalin, Mohammad Ibrahim, Saki Itofusa, Minhazul Karim Shadhin
Forwards: Ronan Sullivan, Mahe Khan, Farhaan Ali Wahid, Fahamedul Islam.
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