Dhaka: Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will attend the final match of the Primary School Gold Cup Football Tournament 2026 for both boys’ and girls’ categories at Bangladesh Army Stadium on June 20. He will also distribute prizes among the young footballers, as announced by Education Minister Dr. ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon during a press conference at the secretariat.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj and Prime Minister’s Education Adviser Mahdi Amin were present at the briefing. Directorate of Primary Education Director General Shahina Ferdousi elaborated on the tournament, highlighting that it was organized nationwide in five stages. The event saw participation from over 9.9 million students from 65,569 government primary schools.
Field-level data indicates that 2,214,105 players participated in this year’s tournament, comprised of 1,110,814 boys and 1,103,291 girls. The DG disclosed in a written statement that a total of 123,974 matches were conducted across the country, marking a significant milestone in Bangladesh’s sporting history. Both boys’ and girls’ teams were provided with equal opportunities and facilities throughout the tournament.
The competition commenced on April 6 with field-level matches and concluded with divisional-level play on May 23. After a rigorous selection process, eight champion boys’ teams and eight champion girls’ teams from the eight divisions qualified for the national stage. The national-level competition began on June 4, with the first round, semifinals, and third-place playoff matches successfully completed.
The final match, which will decide the championship trophy winner, is scheduled for June 20 at the Army Stadium. The DG mentioned that a policy and implementation plan have been approved to make sports compulsory from Grade Four in primary schools, following the Prime Minister’s directive.
Education Minister Hoque Milon emphasized that the recent success of Bangladesh’s women’s football team at the international level finds its roots in grassroots tournaments like the Gold Cup. He stated that the tournament provides a platform for developing future generations into disciplined and confident citizens with leadership qualities.