FIFA Trains 32 Bangladeshi Coaches to Strengthen Football Talent Identification

In an effort to ensure that no potential football talent in Bangladesh goes unnoticed or unfairly overlooked, FIFA has launched a Talent Identification Programme under its Talent Development Scheme. As part of this initiative, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) is organising a four-day workshop to train 32 local coaches in modern scouting and player assessment techniques.

The workshop aims to address two major challenges in Bangladeshi sports — the loss of grassroots talent and the inconsistent selection process by coaches.

Workshop Overview

The workshop will be conducted by Choki Nima, FIFA’s Technical Consultant for South Asia and a former Bhutanese national coach. He addressed a press conference today alongside BFF Technical Director Saiful Bari Titu at the federation headquarters.

Nima explained, “Talent Identification is an essential component of the FIFA Talent Development Scheme. Over the next four days, we will discuss the processes and methodologies for player scouting so that coaches can apply these insights effectively in future selections.”

The workshop primarily targets BFF coaches who are actively involved in selecting players for age-based men’s and women’s competitions. Coaches from BKSP (Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan) and other grassroots development programmes are also included.

According to Technical Director Saiful Bari Titu, “We have included 32 coaches with A and B licences, all of whom are directly engaged in talent hunt activities. They will learn how to evaluate players not only on physical and technical skills but also on mental strength and game intelligence.”

Unlike previous seminars usually held at the BFF House in Dhaka, this session is being held at Shamsul Huda Academy in Jashore. Explaining the reason, Titu said, “The academy has comprehensive facilities — accommodation, training grounds, and access to age-group players — making it ideal for a practical learning environment.”

The initiative is part of FIFA’s global grassroots development drive, led by Arsène Wenger, former Arsenal manager and now FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development. Under Wenger’s direction, FIFA has been strengthening youth football structures worldwide, especially focusing on the 12–16 age group.

Bangladesh, which previously organised the Academy Cup under the FIFA Technical Development Scheme about 18 months ago, is now advancing further with this Talent Identification Workshop, reflecting its commitment to nurturing homegrown football excellence under the guiding motto: “Every Talent Gets a Chance.”