From jerseys to flags and food, Bangladesh's international football fixtures have become a thriving ecosystem for small businesses, showing how national pride can ripple through local communities.

The penultimate fixture for Bangladesh and India in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers will be held at the 22,400-capacity National Stadium in Dhaka on November 18, with an 8:00 pm kick-off.

Even as he credited his side’s resilience, Westwood was quick to acknowledge Bangladesh’s surge.

Mahama Awal, a Cameroonian-born naturalised forward for Hong Kong, China, is expecting a tough challenge from Bangladesh in front of a packed National Stadium in Dhaka on October 9.

The skies opened up over the capital on Tuesday afternoon, drenching the National Stadium in a torrential downpour that cut short Bangladesh’s first training session for the Asian Cup Qualifiers fixture against Hong Kong, China at home on October 9.

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) is working towards staging the high-profile clash at the 22,000-capacity stadium.

With newly installed sheds, colourful chairs brightening the galleries, a freshly laid greenish pitch, an athletic track, and decorative touches, the stadium radiated renewed energy. Adding to the spectacle was the electrifying atmosphere created by the excited screams of school-going boys and girls, making the stadium pulse with life once again as it hosted the finals for both boys and girls.

Chile takes another step towards their dream of winning a first Copa America on home soil with a 2-1 win over Peru on Monday but Eduardo Vargas' match-winning double was overshadowed by an early refereeing decision that turned the game the hosts' way.