Dhaka Abahani, one of the country’s most renowned football clubs, will host their AFC Challenge League home match at the National Stadium in Dhaka.

The match is scheduled for 12 August at 5:00pm, confirmed club manager and Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Executive Member Satyajit Das Rupu.

He said Abahani had formally requested to hold the match at the National Stadium. The Federation approved the proposal and informed the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) accordingly.

Previously, the club’s official home venue under AFC club licensing was the Sylhet District Stadium. However, after renovations at the National Stadium made the pitch suitable for play, Abahani decided to move the fixture to Dhaka. The BFF agreed to the plan.

Following an international match against India in November, the stadium will undergo major renovations again. Until then, Abahani has been granted special permission to host this game. This will be the first domestic club football match at the National Stadium since the 2021 league season.

In the 2023–24 season, Dhaka Mohammedan won the Bangladesh Premier League and were supposed to represent Bangladesh in the AFC Challenge League. However, they could not participate due to not securing an AFC club license. As a result, runners-up Dhaka Abahani received the opportunity to compete.

Additionally, because several clubs from other countries failed to meet the eligibility criteria, third-placed Bashundhara Kings have also been allowed to enter the tournament.

MSK/