FIFA Highlights Bangladesh’s Unrivalled Football World Cup Mania

During the football World Cup, Bangladesh, like the rest of the world, becomes completely immersed in football frenzy. When a favourite team scores, shouts of joy echo through neighbourhoods, narrow alleys, and streets. The intense passion spills from local tea stalls onto social media platforms, where supporters exchange passionate praise for their teams and good-natured mockery of rivals. Recognising this extraordinary devotion, football’s global governing body, FIFA, has officially highlighted the unique World Cup enthusiasm that grips the South Asian nation.

In Bangladesh, the vast majority of football enthusiasts divide themselves into two fiercely loyal camps: Brazil and Argentina. When these teams play, giant projector screens are erected across various neighbourhoods. Fans clad in their teams’ official jerseys gather to watch the matches, celebrating victories by blowing vuvuzelas, dancing, and singing. Capturing this vibrant atmosphere, the official FIFA World Cup Facebook page posted a series of five photographs showcasing Bangladesh’s football mania. The governing body aptly captioned the post: “Bangladesh doesn’t just watch the World Cup, Bangladesh lives the World Cup.”

Bangladesh has never qualified to play in the football World Cup. Despite this, the tournament remains an unmatched spectacle. When “The Greatest Show on Earth” takes place, Bangladeshi fans join the global celebrations with unparalleled zeal. The sheer scale of this fandom—often described as a beautiful madness—traditionally catches the attention of international media outlets, including major broadcasters in Argentina and Brazil, who frequently report on the scenes of jubilation across Dhaka and other cities. Reflecting this specific dual allegiance, four of the five images shared by FIFA focused on Brazil and Argentina supporters, whilst one photograph captured a fan displaying an image of Portugal’s talismanic forward, Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 2026 Football World Cup commenced at the iconic Estadio Azteca with an action-packed opening fixture between Mexico and South Africa, which notably saw a record number of red cards. Since the opening whistle on 11 June, global superstars like Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Cristiano Ronaldo have continued to shatter long-standing tournament records.

Lionel Messi has already scored five goals in the current edition, rewriting history by taking his career World Cup tally to an unprecedented 18 goals. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo secured a double record last night, netting a brace during Portugal’s clinical performance against Uzbekistan. The global football tournament is progressing rapidly towards its conclusion, with the highly anticipated final scheduled to take place on 19 July at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.