Bangladesh, an Asian nation neighboring India and historically among the poorest, is currently in 181st position in the FIFA rankings, which includes 211 teams. Despite the expansion of the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams, the possibility of the country competing in the world tournament for the first time remains remote.
The performance of the Bangladesh team in the last World Cup qualifiers highlighted the challenges faced by the team. The team managed to advance after a 1-1 draw away from home and a 2-1 home victory against Maldives. However, their trajectory was interrupted when they fell into a complicated group with Australia, Palestine and Lebanon, ending their participation in fourth place with just one point won.
😱😱😱😱This isn't in Brazil… 🇧🇩🇧🇩🇧🇩🇧🇩
this is in Bangladesh!! Moment of Brazil's goal:pic.twitter.com/q5HjQr6VBf— @voltage-k 🇧🇷 (@voltage_k100) June 25, 2026
The national team’s poor performance comes as no surprise to Bangladeshis, who display limited enthusiasm for their own football team. However, an intense passion for Brazil and Argentina dominates the nation, especially during the World Cup tournaments. The population is fanatically divided between the two South American giants, turning the country into a true stage for rivalry between idols such as Lionel Messi and Neymar. This phenomenon highlights how the absence of a competitive national team in one’s own country opens up a space for devotion to global football powers, showing the strength of the international sporting narrative. Local media outlets note that, although Brazil traditionally has more fans, Argentina’s recent World Cup victories may be changing this dynamic in the coming years.