FIFA President Gianni Infantino made a brief but significant pit stop in Dhaka on Sunday, sitting down with Bangladesh football bosses to discuss infrastructure, unspent funds, and the global future of the local game.
Travelling from Morocco to Bhutan, Infantino used Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to swap into a specialised aircraft built for the tricky Himalayan runways.
Waiting in the VIP lounge was a full-strength BFF delegation led by newly installed president Tabith Awal and his four vice-presidents, armed with a clear vision to tap into a massive 350-crore taka FIFA development war chest.
"It was a short, unofficial trip, but we tackled how Bangladesh can go bigger on the global stage," Awal told reporters after Infantino took off for Thimphu.
"He was keen to know about our experience in the ASEAN Cup and whether we would play more such tournaments. We told him straight our boys want to play in Europe too. We discussed how FIFA windows can open up so teams across different continents can clash regularly."
The core of the pitch was putting long-dormant money to work. Millions of dollars under the FIFA Forward Programme have sat idle for years, but the BFF presented ready-to-roll projects: a dedicated technical centre on 15 acres of prime government land in Cox's Bazar, a top-tier hybrid pitch in Sylhet, and a complete revamp, including modern floodlights of two stadiums handed over by the sports ministry. BFF vice-president Wahid Uddin Chowdhury Happy confirmed Infantino gave an initial nod to even increase financial aid if required.
"The FIFA boss is ready to come on an official tour the moment ground is broken on any of these projects," Awal said.
"Whether it is building the technical centre or fixing up the stadiums, he wants to be here to inaugurate them. The ball is in our court."
The federation also showcased forward-thinking moves that impressed the FIFA boss, from running stadium lights on green solar power to a new national policy making football compulsory from Class Four.
On the pitch, they mapped out plans to unlock Bangladesh’s massive expatriate fanbase by taking the national team on tour to football-mad diaspora hubs in the UK, Italy, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia.
Off the pitch, election politics took a back seat. With nominations for the FIFA presidency closing on 18 November, Awal insisted the sit-down remained strictly about the pitch, noting the BFF would wait to see the final ballot before declaring its allegiance.
Regionally, while steering clear of issuing a SAFF final invite, Awal voiced solidarity with banned neighbours Nepal, hoping they return to international action swiftly.
Infantino is set to transit Dhaka once more on 20 October en route to the AFC Congress in Tokyo. His brief drop-in marks his first visit since 2017, following earlier historic trips by Joao Havelange in 1981 and Sepp Blatter in 2006 and 2012.
For Awal, the rapid tarmac summit was an undeniable win: "Bangladesh football has grabbed FIFA’s spotlight. From our senior sides to the under-15s, 16s, and 19s, we are turning up at every FIFA stage, proving how serious and passionate this country is."