Sullivan brothers expected to play for Bangladesh in SAFF U-20 Championship

Efforts by the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) to bring overseas-based players into the national fold have taken a step forward, with twin brothers Ronan and Declan Sullivan set to represent Bangladesh at next month’s SAFF U-20 Championship.

BFF vice-president Fahad Karim said on Sunday that the process of securing Bangladeshi passports for the United States-born 18-year-olds is in its final stages. He added that the twins are likely to be available for the tournament in March if the remaining formalities are completed on time.

“We had mentioned earlier that we are working on several players of Bangladeshi origin. In the case of the Sullivan brothers, most of the key steps have already been completed,” Karim said in a video message shared on his personal Facebook page on Sunday.

According to Karim, the twins’ birth certificates have been collected and verified, and the necessary paperwork for their passport applications has been prepared. The final step is to submit the applications formally at the Bangladesh mission in New York, with appointments expected to be arranged this week.

“Once the applications are submitted, we hope the passports will be issued quickly. If everything proceeds as planned, they could arrive in Dhaka around March 14 or 15,” he said.

Ronan and Declan qualify to represent Bangladesh through their maternal lineage, as their grandmother is of Bangladeshi origin.

Their two elder brothers, Quinn and Cavan, have pursued their careers in the United States system.

Karim also acknowledged the role of the football supporters’ group Save Bangladesh Football in facilitating initial contact between the federation and the players’ family.