Geopolitical undercurrents and Hamza Choudhury's inclusion shape Bangladesh's clash against Indian football team

Bangladesh have not beaten India in football since 2003, but there’s a sense of growing restlessness. Their pre-match press conference carried geopolitical undertones, suggesting that their AFC Asian Cup qualifiers clash against India is more than just a game for them.

The Indian football team faces Bangladesh once again, this time in a crucial encounter—their
opening match of the final round of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers. It is a winner-takes-all group and there couldn’t have been a more thrilling start for Blue Tigers than a showdown against their ’noisy neighbours.’ They will later also face Hong Kong and Singapore in Group C.

Why ’noisy neighbours’? It’s no secret that Bangladesh players and fans have always viewed South Asian rivals India as a team they must not lose to. Whether this stems from ego or the perception of India as the benchmark is debatable, but the status quo is undeniable. The same holds true in cricket, and while football receives less coverage than cricket, the passion and intensity with which Bangladesh’s players and fans approach a game against India is no different.

In fact, the enthusiasm in the Bangladeshi media is just as high—some might even call it resentful—as they have turned up in large numbers in Shillong, the venue for Tuesday’s (25 March) match, outnumbering their Indian counterparts.

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