The visit coincides with the AFB Latin-Bangla Super Cup football tournament, which will take place at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka from December 5 to 11. The event will feature Argentina’s Atlético Charlon and Brazil’s São Bernardo Club, along with an age-based Bangladesh team to be formed by the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF). On the closing day, the prestigious Cafu Award will be presented.
At a press conference held in Dhaka on Friday, questions arose about whether Cafu’s visit was officially confirmed as previous announcements of global football stars visiting Bangladesh often failed to materialize. Addressing the concerns, AFB Managing Director Md Asaduzzaman Harun assured journalists that Cafu’s visit was confirmed.
“Cafu has received his Bangladesh visa and his ticket is confirmed. He will arrive in Dhaka on the morning of December 11. An agreement has been signed with him, and he has already sent a video message confirming his visit. We are also in talks to bring Ortega, Caniggia, and Verón from Argentina,” Harun said.
Bangladesh, despite its low global football ranking, remains a hotspot of fan enthusiasm. The nation’s passionate support during the 2022 World Cup gained international attention. Following that, Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez and Brazilian legend Ronaldinho visited Dhaka both events, however, faced significant mismanagement and lack of coordination with local football authorities.
Harun assured that the same mistakes would not be repeated. “There will be no mismanagement this time. If necessary, we will hold an open press conference for Cafu,” he said.
Despite these assurances, Friday’s press event began an hour late and left journalists somewhat skeptical. The press release mentioned that the ambassadors of Brazil and Argentina would attend, yet no embassy representatives were present.
When asked about the quality of the teams arriving from Argentina and Brazil, Harun clarified, “The footballers coming from both clubs are mainly under-20 players. They have shared the list with us, and they are of good quality.”
Unlike previous star visits arranged solely by private promoters, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) is officially involved in organizing this tournament. BFF Executive Member Kamrul Hasan Hilton said, “They proposed the event to the federation, and we approved it. We have provided the stadium and will offer technical support, while the overall management remains under the organizers.”
Harun, a well-known professional boxer who has organized several international boxing events in Dhaka, said his motivation behind this football initiative was to promote Bangladesh in the global sports arena. “People seek recognition. I want to be remembered for bringing teams from Argentina and Brazil to Bangladesh, no matter what level they are,” he said.
While the arrival of global football stars like Cafu and teams from Latin America will undoubtedly excite fans, the organizers have yet to announce details about ticket prices or sponsors. “We will collect sponsors soon. Ticket pricing has not been finalized yet,” Harun added.
