The unfinished club complex, overgrown with wild vines, and the barren playground edged with weeds offer a stark picture of Abahani’s recent struggles.

This is the third time that the game’s governing body in the country has extended the deadline for submitting club licensing documents, particularly after the three BFL clubs failed to submit the required documents by the original August 4 deadline.

Reigning league champions Bashundhara Kings, runners-up Abahani and Fakirerpool Young Mens Club are set to get three more days to resolve their FIFA registration bans after the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) extended the deadline for submitting club licensing documents until August 7.

The three teams are tied on 16 points from 10 matches.

League leaders Mohammedan Sporting Club are set to strengthen their squad for the business end of the Dhaka Premier League (DPL) by bringing in express pacer Nahid Rana, club officials confirmed on Sunday.

Having reclaimed the Bangladesh Premier League title with a match to spare, Topu Barman described Bashundhara Kings’ sixth league triumph as the toughest of his career.

Bashundhara Kings regained the Bangladesh Football League title with a match to spare after beating rivals Abahani Limited 2-0 in the penultimate round at the Shaheed Dhirendranath Datta Stadium on Friday.

Under Mosaddek’s leadership, Abahani clinched their 24th DPL title last season.

State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque visited Abahani in Dhanmondi today, reaffirming his commitment to keeping the country’s sports arena free from political influence and urging the club’s officials to reclaim their lost pride with proper management.

Premier League clubs are ramping up preparations for the players’ transfer window, set to be held on Saturday and Sunday, with Mohammedan leading the way with a string of high-profile signings.

At the Bashundhara Kings Arena, the match was a truly topsy-turvy battle and a heated affair from the opening whistle, characterised by a physical intensity that kept the crowd on the edge of their seats throughout the ninety minutes.

Mohammedan Sporting Club skipper Towhid Hridoy was handed a one-match suspension for his heated exchange with on-field umpires Tanvir Ahmed and Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat in a Dhaka Premier League fixture against Abahani at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Saturday.

A revitalised Mohammedan top the table after the first phase for only the second time since the inaugural season of the BPL in 2007. They strung up an eight-match winning streak this season on their way to the top but it was snapped by newly-promoted Fakirerpool Young Men’s Club in their last match.

“On paper, Bashundhara Kings are a better side than Mohammedan and we are the underdogs,” said Mohammedan coach Alfaz Ahmed

The 34th edition of the tournament will get underway on December 26

This was Brothers’ second successive defeat as they had lost to the other group member Bangladesh Police FC by 2-0.

For over a decade, numerous clashes between Mohammedan and Abahani, which once attracted thousands and brought out the best of a fierce rivalry, have been held almost silently in front of nearly deserted stands. But today's Federation Cup final between the country's most crowd-pulling outfits has suddenly turned up the heat in the country's football fraternity.

Abahani players and officials broke out into wild celebrations after Tanjim Ahmed struck the runs that clinched the club's 22nd Dhaka Premier League (DPL) title following a four-wicket win over defending champions Sheikh Jamal in the final round of Super League games in Mirpur yesterday.

Abhani Limited overtake the target of 101 runs in 15.3 overs and in the process thump Mohammedan Sporting Club by five wickets in the Super League match of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League at the BKSP-3, Savar.

Abahani's slim hopes of an unlikely passage to the final round of the AFC Cup were extinguished after a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Maziya Sports and Recreation Club in Male yesterday.