After a 10-year hiatus, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) has finally decided to revive U-18 National Football Championship. The tournament will begin from March 9 with the participation of district teams as well as teams from different universities and education boards.

After the last edition of the championship was held in 2007 there were no further initiatives to hold the once-popular tournament. However, the game's governing body has inserted the championship into the calendar this time following the national football team's disastrous results at an international level.

“It is a long-awaited tournament which once produced many star players. If we want to revive our country's football, there is no alternative but to go to the district level. We really want a competitive tournament this time. That's why we have taken some initiatives in accordance with the recommendations of the Development Committee,” said BFF Competition Committee chairman and BFF vice president Mohiuddin Ahmed Mohi at a press conference at the BFF House yesterday.

76 teams have been invited to the championship and till yesterday, around 60 teams confirmed their participation in the championship, which will initially be held in eight zones from March 9 before the eight-team final round takes place from March 23.

“As there has not been football at district level for a while, we have decided to train the district teams with our BFF coaching staff, who will determine the age of the players and select a 30-member squad. Later the local coaches will guide their respective teams in the championship,” said Development Committee chairman and BFF vice president Badal Roy, adding that their appointed coaches would conduct five-day training sessions in each district from Sunday.

“There is another significant aspect this time as each of participating teams in the zonal stage will get three matches to play, whereas previously they got only one match in a knockout format,” said Badal.

The BFF will allocate Tk 45,000 to each of the participating teams as part of their preparation and participation fees. The BFF will also pick around 30 players from the championship to form an under-19 squad for next year's AFC U-19 Championship Qualifiers as well as for the SAFF U-19 Championship.

BFF senior vice president Abdus Salam Murshedy, executive members Satyajit Das Rupu and Ilias Hossain, BFF district monitoring committee chairman Shamsul Alam Chowdhury and Brothers Union manager Amer Khan were among others present on the occasion.