Bangladesh national football team head coach Tom Saintfiet has initiated a squad reduction process as he works to finalize the team’s composition for the upcoming ASEAN Cup. Following a thorough review of the preliminary squad, Saintfiet has decided to release six players to sharpen the team’s focus ahead of the tournament.
The list of excluded players includes both expatriate representatives and regular performers from the domestic league. The journey for Canada-based Yasar Tahmid and Italy-based Debjit Sarkar has concluded, as they did not make the final cut. Additionally, four domestic players—Isa Faisal, Kazem Shah, Taj Uddin, and Rabbi Hossain—have also been excluded from Saintfiet’s final plans.
The national team is scheduled to depart for Jakarta, Indonesia, on September 19 to compete in the tournament. Bangladesh has been drawn into a challenging Group A, where they will face Malaysia, Singapore, and the host nation, Indonesia. The team’s campaign begins on September 25 against Malaysia, followed by a match against Singapore on September 28. The final group stage fixture against Indonesia is set for October 1. The first two matches are scheduled to kick off at 3:00 PM Bangladesh time, while the final match will take place at 6:30 PM.
The squad remains in flux as several players, including Hamza Choudhury, Shamit Som, Zayan Ahmed, and Fahmidul Haque, have yet to join the training camp. Consequently, further adjustments to the final roster are expected, with additional players likely to be released. The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) is prioritizing the creation of a streamlined and competitive squad under Saintfiet’s leadership before the team departs for the Jakarta tour.
