The announcement of the new head coach for the national football team is scheduled for 15 May. However, ahead of that deadline, an urgent meeting of the National Team Committee has been convened today. The meeting will be held online under the chairmanship of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) president Tabith Awal.
Sources within the National Team Committee indicate that out of 11 candidates who were interviewed, a shortlist of six names had initially been prepared. However, the list has recently been expanded with the inclusion of two or more additional candidates. This development has made the final decision-making process more complex for the federation. Officials are not yet certain whether a final decision will be reached in today’s meeting.
Two committee members confirmed that a Zoom meeting has been scheduled for 3:00 pm. They added that it remains unclear whether all decisions will be finalised today, suggesting that the emergency session may be intended for further review rather than immediate confirmation.
The selection process began following the completion of Javier Cabrera’s 52-month tenure as head coach, which ended on 30 September. Since then, the BFF has been working on appointing a new head coach for the national side. A total of 230 applications were initially received for the position. The recruitment process has progressed through multiple stages of screening and evaluation.
Coach Selection Process Overview
| Stage | Number of Candidates | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Initial applications | 230 | Total applications submitted for head coach role |
| First shortlist | 100 | Initial screening reduction |
| Second shortlist | 23 | Further evaluation stage |
| Final interview list | 11 | Candidates selected for interview |
| Preliminary shortlist | 6 | Initial shortlisted candidates |
| Updated shortlist | 6+ (with additional names) | New candidates added ahead of final decision stage |
According to the latest committee discussions held the day before yesterday, former Wales national team coach Chris Coleman is currently regarded as the leading candidate in the race for the position. However, it remains to be seen whether Coleman or another candidate will ultimately be appointed as the next head coach of the Bangladesh national football team.
The federation is continuing its final review process as it works towards concluding one of its most closely followed coaching appointments in recent times, with the final announcement expected in line with the previously scheduled date of 15 May.