The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) has officially announced the national men’s futsal squad for the upcoming AFC Futsal Asia Cup qualifiers, marking the country’s historic debut at the continental level.

The team is set to depart for Malaysia on Sunday, 12 days before the tournament, to ensure thorough preparation and acclimatization.

The 17-member squad will participate in a camp in Kuala Lumpur from 8–17 September, where they will play 3–4 practice matches against local clubs and teams.

“From 600 trialists, we narrowed it down to 50, then 30, and trained them for a month. In Dhaka, futsal infrastructure and training facilities are limited. Therefore, this camp is crucial for our preparation,” said BFF Futsal Committee chairman Imranur Rahman.

Bangladesh has been drawn in a challenging group with hosts Malaysia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates.

Iranian coach Saied Khodarahmi expressed confidence in the team: “I have 100 percent faith in our players. Futsal is just starting in Bangladesh. Iran is the Asian champion, UAE is preparing in China, and Malaysia is also a strong team. I hope for continued support for our players even after the tournament, because many of them are playing futsal for the first time.”

Vice-captain Intisar Mostafa said, “We are going to play international futsal for the first time. There are many differences compared to football. This experience will help us move forward in the future, and we aim to give our best in this tournament.”

Bangladesh will play Iran on 20 September in Kuantan, followed by Malaysia on 22 September and UAE on 24 September.