Bangladesh is eyeing a return to South Asian football glory, aiming to break a 23-year title drought as their campaign begins on Thursday.

The hosts will face Bhutan in their opening Group A match at 8:00 PM at the National Stadium in Dhaka.

Backed by home support, the red-and-green representatives are eager to kick off the tournament with a win.

Despite missing some key players for the season opener, head coach Tom Saintfiet (Thomas Dooley) remains confident about clinching the trophy.

Bangladesh last won the SAFF Championship back in 2003, when the tournament was known as the South Asian Football Federation Gold Cup.

Twenty-three years have passed since, with the team failing to claim the title during the long hiatus.

Now, South Asia’s premier football competition returns to home soil after eight years, presenting Bangladesh with a golden opportunity to reclaim regional supremacy.

However, questions have arisen regarding the scale and organization of the tournament. In its 33-year history, this edition feels relatively subdued.

The expected public fervor is lacking, and visible preparations at the main venue, the National Stadium, have appeared minimal.

An untidy stadium perimeter, haphazard parking, and vehicle movement through the grounds have raised concerns over event management.

Once known for packed galleries and intense rivalries—such as India-Pakistan or Bangladesh-India matches—the tournament is kicking off in a muted atmosphere.

Despite this, the squad remains optimistic about their preparations for the title chase. Speaking at a pre-match press conference on Wednesday, coach Tom Saintfiet expressed strong confidence in the team's ability to perform well.

He believes that ending the 23-year wait and winning the tournament is entirely realistic for this squad. "Perhaps the pressure was greater over the past 23 years. Now we have the confidence that we can do well. I think it is realistic for this team to win the tournament after 23 years. We want to show everyone how important this trophy is to us," he said.

Playing at home brings heightened expectations and pressure from supporters, but the coach intends to channel that pressure positively, believing the home crowd will provide extra motivation.

Evaluating the team's preparations, Saintfiet expressed satisfaction with their current performance despite various ups and downs since May, emphasizing the need to maintain confidence and a fighting spirit until the final whistle.

Bangladesh will face immediate challenges in their title quest. Due to club commitments, two key players—Hamza Choudhury and Farhan Ali Wahid—will miss the opening match against Bhutan.

Hamza's absence, in particular, is a major blow, as he joins the squad after the FIFA window and will miss the opener, though he is expected to reach Dhaka ahead of the match against Sri Lanka.

Acknowledging Hamza's absence, new captain Topu Barman expressed his desire to secure a victory before his return.

Topu noted that Hamza plays a vital role in team leadership and directing teammates on the field, and the team wants to win against Bhutan to dedicate the victory to him.

"We will miss him a lot. We need leadership like his in the team, especially the way he guides everyone. We want to make his path easier by winning against Bhutan so he can return to the squad with a smile. We want to welcome him back with a victory," Topu said.

There is also a leadership shift for Bangladesh. In the absence of regular captain Jamal Bhuyan, Topu Barman will wear the armband against Bhutan.

While other players like Sohel Rana have previously filled in during the regular captain's absence, some initial ambiguity surrounded the leadership for this tournament.

The question arose when Topu sat beside coach Saintfiet at the press conference and was introduced as captain.

Coach Saintfiet downplayed the change, noting that experienced players like Jamal, Hamza, and Topu all play leadership roles both on and off the pitch.

Topu was chosen given his experience as a center-back and his ability to organize teammates.

Meanwhile, Topu is thrilled to assume leadership after playing a SAFF tournament on home soil for the first time since 2018.

Eager to seize the opportunity to fulfill fans' expectations, Topu stressed the importance of the opening match: "The first match in a tournament is very important. We will definitely take to the field with a victory in mind. We want to gift the people of Bangladesh a good football match. After 23 years, we have a great opportunity before us. We do not want to let it slip. We want to give something back to our supporters, and that is the trophy."

Ultimately, regardless of external organizational questions, achieving success on the pitch remains the top priority for Bangladesh as they seek to start their campaign with a win and lay to rest a 23-year wait.