BFF regains financial freedom as FIFA lifts ban

The financial curb, imposed in 2018, is removed following improved transparency

Bangladesh Football Federation, or BFF, has been relieved from Fédération Internationale de Football Association, or FIFA’s, financial restrictions, which had been in place since 2018, over irregularities in procurement.

In a statement on Friday, BFF announced that the global football governing body had withdrawn the ban due to improved financial transparency.

“FIFA has fully lifted the financial sanctions from [Friday], citing the transparency of BFF's purchases, sales, and financial transactions under the leadership of BFF President Tabith Awal and the current committee," the statement read.

FIFA’s investigation between 2017 and 2020 uncovered irregularities in BFF’s financial transactions.

Following this, FIFA banned the then BFF general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag in April 2023.

FIFA extended the ban for another three years in May, 2024.

The suspension was also imposed on the then BFF chief financial officer Abu Hossain and operations manager Mizanur Rahman for discrepancies in financial dealings.

In addition, former BFF finance committee chairman and senior vice president Abdus Salam Murshedy was fined.