A sudden thunderstorm, heavy downpour, and bad light led to the abandonment of the Federation Cup final between Abahani and Bashundhara Kings in Mymensingh on Tuesday, but the chaos left in its wake did more than just cut short a game -- it laid bare the cracks in the infrastructural failures haunting the country's football.

An energetic crowd witnessed a gripping first half with both teams locked at 1-1 at the Rofique Uddin Bhuiyan Stadium. Yet their anticipation turned to frustration as the game, after enduring an hour-long rain delay, was called off following 105 minutes due to bad light.

What should have been a showpiece final turned into another sorry chapter in domestic football's decline.

While Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) scrambles to rearrange the remainder of the final -- set to resume from the minute and scoreline where play stopped -- the incident raises far more pressing questions. Chief among them: Why was such a crucial match staged at a venue with no floodlights, and with limited protection against the predictable fury of pre-monsoon storms?

For all its focus on recruiting expatriate talent to bolster the national team, BFF has done little to improve the conditions at home. Today's chaos starkly underlined that neglect. For all its promises of reform, BFF's inability to ensure even basic facilities for marquee events is damning.

The scenes were farcical. A makeshift press box collapsed under the storm's pressure, leaving travelling journalists from Dhaka exposed and scrambling to do their jobs. Dugouts were blown away, forcing substitute players to sit in the open, vulnerable not just to the elements but to potential confrontations from rival supporters.

Yes, nature cannot be controlled. But it can be anticipated. Scheduling a knockout final -- with the likelihood of extra time and penalties -- in the late afternoon, during the peak of Kal Boishakhi season, and at a venue unequipped for evening play, reflects a stunning lack of foresight.

Moreover, that the stadium was chosen through a venue lottery, as claimed by BFF executive committee member Zakir Hossain Chowdhury -- also the deputy chairman of professional league committee -- only indicates the amateurish decision-making at play.

Alternative venues like the well-equipped Bashundhara Kings Arena were available, but concerns over partisan hostility -- including Mohammedan Sporting Club's repeated refusal to play there and a FIFA fine for fan misconduct -- have turned it into a diplomatic minefield, deepening football's identity crisis.

The heart of the problem is BFF's longstanding failure to develop the stadiums it uses. Meanwhile, National Sports Council-owned district grounds remain underdeveloped, despite being used extensively over the last four years due to renovations at National Stadium.

In the end, the unfinished Federation Cup final might find its way to a result. But the bigger game -- rebuilding credibility, earning fans' trust, and giving players a professional environment -- remains very much abandoned.

The entire episode raises questions about the overall state of the game across the country if even the top-tier competition is handled this poorly.

And unless those at the helm acknowledge this truth and act, no resumption whistle will save the future of domestic football.