Foreign footballers once again led the scoring charts in the latest Bangladesh Premier League season, continuing a long-standing trend in the country’s top-tier domestic competition. The 10-team league concluded yesterday after a campaign stretched across nearly eight months, with repeated interruptions affecting its continuity.
Brazilian striker Darielton Gomez of Bashundhara Kings finished as the league’s top scorer with 19 goals. Fortis FC’s Gambian forward Omar Babu secured second place with 13 goals, while Abahani Limited’s Malian striker Suleman Diabate ended the season third with 11 goals.
The dominance of overseas players was also evident further down the scoring table. Four foreign footballers jointly occupied the next position with seven goals each. Among local players, Bashundhara Kings forward Foysal Ahmed Fahim and Abahani midfielder Sheikh Morsalin were the highest Bangladeshi scorers, each registering six goals. Al Amin and Rakib Hossain both scored three times during the campaign.
Leading Scorers in the Bangladesh Premier League
| Position | Player | Club | Nationality | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darielton Gomez | Bashundhara Kings | Brazil | 19 |
| 2 | Omar Babu | Fortis FC | Gambia | 13 |
| 3 | Suleman Diabate | Abahani Limited | Mali | 11 |
| Top local scorer | Foysal Ahmed Fahim | Bashundhara Kings | Bangladesh | 6 |
| Top local scorer | Sheikh Morsalin | Abahani Limited | Bangladesh | 6 |
Bashundhara Kings had already secured the league title with one round remaining. On the final day of the season, Abahani Limited confirmed their runners-up position with a 4–0 victory over Arambagh Krira Sangha.
Foreign forwards have consistently dominated goal-scoring statistics in Bangladesh’s domestic football. In the previous season, Ghanaian striker Samuel Boateng finished as the top scorer with 21 goals while playing for Rahmatganj Muslim Friends Society. Suleman Diabate, then representing Mohammedan Sporting Club, scored 19 goals to finish second.
The 2023–24 season also featured foreign players at the top of the scoring charts. Cornelius Stewart led with 19 goals, followed by Diabate with 17 and Darielton Gomez with 14.
Top Scorers in Recent Seasons
| Season | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025–26 | Darielton Gomez | Bashundhara Kings | 19 |
| 2024–25 | Samuel Boateng | Rahmatganj | 21 |
| 2023–24 | Cornelius Stewart | — | 19 |
This season’s league programme experienced several lengthy breaks due to Bangladesh national team fixtures and the country’s national elections. As a result, the competition remained inactive for extended periods throughout the campaign. Although the league concluded as scheduled, concerns remained regarding playing conditions outside Dhaka, where footballers expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of pitches at four venues.
Attention is now shifting towards the Bangladesh national team. Newly appointed head coach Thomas Dooley arrived in Dhaka earlier this week, and preparations for the international friendly against San Marino on 5 June are expected to begin within the next few days.
Meanwhile, uncertainty has emerged regarding Bangladesh’s representatives in the AFC Challenge League. League champions Bashundhara Kings and runners-up Abahani Limited are both currently under FIFA-imposed player registration bans. As a result, Fortis FC and Police FC, who have fulfilled AFC club licensing requirements, could potentially represent Bangladesh in the continental competition.
