Dhaka Mohammedan Sporting Club and Bashundhara Kings have their invitation from the
Indian Football Association (IFA), the Governing Body of Football of West Bengal to play in the IFA Shield to be held in January 2024.
Mohammedan Sporting Club won the IFA Shield for five times when Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club played in the final the century old football tournament in India in 2014.
However, this time the IFA invited the five times champion Dhaka Mohammedan and Bashundhara Kings, the four times and the reigning champions of the Bangladesh Premier League football.
The high ups of the Bashundhara Kings, Imrul Hassan and the director of Mohammedan Sporting Club, Abu Hassan Chowdhury Prince informed that Anirban Datt secretary of the IFA visited the Bashundhara Kings and Mohammedan Sporting Club and invited both the clubs to play in the 126th edition of the IFA Shield.
The governing body of West Bengal Football also invited Bashundhara Kings last year with wishing to organize the tournament with the involvement of both Bangla.
They wished to stage the tournament at the Bashundhara Kings Arena with the participation of eight clubs, four each from both India and Bangladesh but finally their plan was not success.
However, Imrul Hassan informed the Bangla news portal Jagonews24.com on Monday that the IFA officials came here in Dhaka and met them on Sunday, and invited them verbally.
Imrul also informed that they have already accept their verbal offer and will take the decision to play after having written invitation.
Meanhile, Abu Hassan Chowdhury Prince, director of the MSC also echoed with Imrul Hassan, president of the Bashundhara Kings.
Imrul Hassan also said that this time the IFA planned to organize the tournament with six teams, three from abroad and as many from the local with East Bengal, Mohan Bagan Super Giants and Kolkata Mohammedan Sporting Club.
Two foreign teams, Banshundhara Kings and Dhaka Mohammedan Sporting Club have already been invited and there is possibility that the third team would also be from Bangladesh.
