Bangladesh Football League
The Bangladesh Football League, simply known as the BFL, is the top tier of the Bangladeshi football league system. It is run by the Bangladesh Football Federation. The Dhaka derby between Dhaka Abahani and Mohammedan is one of the league's most popular matches.
The BFL superseded the Dhaka Premier Division League which had functioned as the top tier from 1948 to 2006. The league name was changed from Bangladesh Premier League to Bangladesh Football League in 2025 because the spelling clashed with the similarly-named cricket league.
History
Origins
Before the establishment of the professional football league, the semi-professional Dhaka Premier Division League functioned as Bangladesh’s top-tier competition from 1993 onward. Prior to that, the Dhaka First Division League was the country's highest level of football from 1948, following the partition of India and even before the Bangladesh's independence. Historically, the Dhaka Football League consisted of three-tiers, with the Pioneer Football League introduced in 1981 as a fourth tier. A separate Fourth Division also briefly existed within the Dhaka League system between 1966 and 1969.From 2000 to 2006, the Bangladesh Football Federation operated the National Football League, the first nationwide open competition. However, despite its national scope, it was considered less prestigious than the regional Dhaka Premier Division League, which remained officially recognized as the top tier until 2007.
Professional league
Founded in 2007 as Bangladesh's first professional national football league, the Bangladesh Football League was initially launched as the B.League. It was renamed the Bangladesh League in 2009, and rebranded as the Bangladesh Premier League in 2012. In 2025, the competition adopted its current name.The first league match took place on 2 March 2007 between Dhaka Abahani and Muktijoddha Sangsad KC at the National Stadium in Dhaka, ending in a goalless draw. The next day in Khulna, Prashanta Dey scored the first goal in the history of professional football in the country as Khulna Abahani blanked the capital side Rahmatganj MFS 2–0. On 27 March 2007, Alfaz Ahmed netted the first hat-trick in B League history to give Muktijoddha a 4–1 win over Rahmatganj.
Dhaka Abahani have won the league a record six times since 2007. In the 2015–16 season, Dhaka Abahani also became the first team to win the professional league title with an unbeaten record. In the 2023–24 season, Bashundhara Kings became the first team to win five consecutive league titles.
The league was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and a limited program of matches was in place through 2021. On 12 February 2022, it was announced that the league would return to its normal home-and-away format.
Competition format
Competition
There are 10 clubs in the BFL as of the 2025–26 season. During the course of a season each club plays the others twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for 18 games. The winning team in a match shall be awarded 3 points, with the losing team receiving no point. If the match ends in a draw, each team shall receive 1 point. The number of goals scored and conceded by each team shall also be recorded.At the end of the season, the ranking of teams shall be determined first by the total number of points won.
In situations where 2 teams are equal on points for the champion or bottom positions, a play-off shall be held. Both teams shall play one home and one away match. If the teams remain level on points after the second leg, extra time of two periods of 15 minutes each shall be played as part of the second-leg match. If still tied after extra time, kicks from the penalty mark shall determine the winner. The play-off match or matches shall be organized within 7 days of the last league match.
In situations where more than 2 teams are tied on points for the champion or bottom positions, their rankings shall be determined in the following order:
- Greater number of points obtained in league matches between the tied teams;
- Goal difference from league matches between the tied teams;
- Greater number of goals scored in league matches between the tied teams;
- Goal difference in all league matches;
- Fewer disciplinary points based on yellow and red cards ;
- Toss of a coin.
Promotion and relegation
A system of promotion and relegation has existed between the Bangladesh Football League and the Bangladesh Championship League since 2012. Each season, the two lowest-placed teams in the Bangladesh Football League are relegated to the, second-tier professional league, the Championship League, while the top two teams from the Championship League are promoted to the top tier, only if they meet the BFF ClubLicensing Regulations for the following season.
Before 2012, the winners of the Dhaka Senior Division League were expected to earn promotion to the professional league. However, Senior Division clubs were unable to obtain the necessary professional league licenses, which meant that promotion and relegation did not function consistently until the 2011–12 season. Notably, in 2009, the lone edition of the Bashundhara Club Cup Championship took place, with the champions and runners-up granted entry into the 2009–10 edition.
;Relegation Summary
Bold indicates that the club withdrew from participating in the second-tier the following season.
Player regulations
As of the 2025–26 season each participating club is entitled to register a maximum of thirty-six players, including a minimum of three goalkeepers. Clubs may register up to five foreign players, with no more than three permitted on the pitch simultaneously. In addition, teams may register up to four SAARC players, all of whom are classified as local and eligible to play. The rules also require each club to include five age-level local players in its squad, with at least one mandated to appear in the starting eleven for every match. The season also saw the removal of the AFC player quota that had been implemented since 2018–19.In both the 2023–24 season and 2024–25 season, clubs were allowed to register up to a maximum of six foreign players. If a club registered more than five foreign players, then the sixth had to be from an Asian Football Confederation -affiliated Member Association. Additionally, in the 2024–25 season, amidst political unrest, clubs were permitted to register a maximum of forty players including foreign players. Between the 2018–19 and 2021–22 seasons, a maximum of four foreign players were allowed, with the fourth required to be from an AFC-affiliated Member Association.
In the 2010 season, the foreign quota was set at five players; however, after numerous national players were benched throughout the campaign, the Professional League Committee reduced the quota to four players from the 2011–12 season. The foreign quota was further reduced to three players from the 2014–15 season. In the 2015–16 season, clubs were allowed to register four foreign players, with three permitted on the pitch simultaneously. In the 2017–18 season, the quota was reduced back to three players; however, only two were eligible to play in a match at the same time.
Clubs
Champions
| Club | Winner | Winning seasons | seasons | |
| Dhaka Abahani | 6 | 5 | 2007, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2015–16, 2017–18 | 2013–14, 2018–19, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2024–25 |
| Bashundhara Kings | 5 | 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24 | ||
| Sheikh Jamal DC | 3 | 3 | 2010–11, 2013–14, 2014–15 | 2012–13, 2017–18, 2020–21 |
| Mohammedan SC | 1 | 4 | 2024–25 | 2007, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2023–24 |
| Sheikh Russel KC | 1 | 1 | 2012–13 | 2014–15 |
| Muktijoddha SKC | 2 | 2010, 2011–12 | ||
| Chittagong Abahani | 1 | 2015–16 |
Italics indicate former champions of the Bangladesh Football League who are currently outside the competition.
2025–26 season
All-time BFL table
The all-time BFL table is an overall record of all match results, points, and goals of every team that has played in BFL since its inception in 2007. The table is accurate to the end of the 2024–25 season. Teams in bold are part of the 2025–26 season. Numbers in bold are the record numbers in each column.| Pos. | Club | Seasons | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Debut | Since/Last App. | Relegated | Best |
| 1 | Dhaka Abahani | 17 | 745 | 345 | 222 | 79 | 44 | 692 | 261 | +431 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 2007 | 2007 | 1 | |
| 2 | Dhaka Mohammedan | 17 | 592 | 345 | 163 | 103 | 79 | 584 | 350 | +234 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2007 | 2007 | 1 | |
| 3 | Sheikh Russel KC | 16 | 537 | 327 | 150 | 87 | 90 | 497 | 349 | +148 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2007 | 2023–24 | 1 | |
| 4 | Sheikh Jamal DC | 13 | 469 | 262 | 132 | 73 | 57 | 474 | 313 | +161 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2010 | 2023–24 | 1 | |
| 5 | Muktijoddha Sangsad KC | 15 | 391 | 308 | 107 | 70 | 131 | 384 | 405 | −21 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2007 | 2022–23 | 1 | 2 |
| 6 | Chittagong Abahani | 15 | 349 | 309 | 90 | 82 | 138 | 330 | 469 | −139 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2007 | 2024–25 | 2 | 2 |
| 7 | Brothers Union Ltd. | 15 | 348 | 302 | 85 | 93 | 124 | 376 | 465 | −89 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2007 | 2020–21 | 1 | 4 |
| 8 | Bashundhara Kings | 7 | 327 | 132 | 103 | 18 | 11 | 322 | 95 | +227 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2018–19 | 1 | ||
| 9 | Rahmatganj MFS | 15 | 289 | 302 | 69 | 82 | 151 | 348 | 531 | −183 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2007 | 2014–15 | 1 | 4 |
| 10 | Arambagh KS | 11 | 221 | 219 | 56 | 53 | 110 | 224 | 349 | −125 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2007 | 2020–21 | 2 | 5 |
| 11 | Saif SC | 5 | 180 | 98 | 53 | 21 | 24 | 184 | 119 | +65 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | |||
| 12 | Team BJMC | 7 | 167 | 151 | 41 | 44 | 66 | 178 | 214 | −36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2010 | 2018–19 | 1 | 4 |
| 13 | Bangladesh Police FC | 6 | 148 | 107 | 40 | 28 | 39 | 145 | 143 | +2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2019–20 | 2019–20 | 3 | |
| 14 | Feni SC | 7 | 136 | 151 | 30 | 46 | 75 | 143 | 232 | −89 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2009–10 | 2015–16 | 1 | 4 |
| 15 | Farashganj SC | 7 | 131 | 148 | 28 | 47 | 73 | 123 | 221 | −98 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2007 | 2017–18 | 3 | 6 |
| 16 | Chittagong Mohammedan | 4 | 99 | 86 | 24 | 27 | 35 | 81 | 116 | −35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2007 | 2010 | 1 | 5 |
| 17 | Fortis FC | 3 | 74 | 56 | 17 | 23 | 16 | 68 | 63 | +5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2022–23 | 2022–23 | 5 | |
| 18 | Uttar Baridhara Club | 5 | 64 | 100 | 14 | 22 | 64 | 98 | 256 | −158 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2013–14 | 2021–22 | 3 | 10 |
| 19 | Khulna Abahani | 2 | 21 | 40 | 5 | 6 | 29 | 31 | 102 | −71 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2007 | 2008–09 | 1 | 9 |
| 20 | NoFeL SC | 1 | 20 | 24 | 5 | 5 | 14 | 23 | 42 | −19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2018–19 | 2018–19 | 1 | 12 |
| 21 | Narayanganj SS | 1 | 20 | 24 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 35 | −23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2009–10 | 2009–10 | 1 | 12 |
| 22 | Fakirerpool YMC | 1 | 19 | 18 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 23 | 54 | −31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2024–25 | 2024-25 | 8 | |
| 23 | Beanibazar SC | 1 | 17 | 24 | 3 | 8 | 13 | 19 | 43 | −24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2009–10 | 2009–10 | 1 | 13 |
| 24 | Swadhinata KS | 1 | 10 | 22 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 22 | 50 | −28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2021–22 | 2021–22 | 1 | 12 |
| 25 | Dhaka Wanderers | 1 | 10 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 14 | 55 | −41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2024–25 | 2024–25 | 1 | 9 |
| 26 | AFC Uttara | 1 | 5 | 20 | 0 | 5 | 15 | 10 | 56 | −46 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2022–23 | 2022–23 | 1 | 11 |
| 27 | PWD SC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2025–26 | 2025–26 |
League or status prior to the 2025–26 season:
| 2025–26 Bangladesh Football League teams | |
| 2025–26 Bangladesh Championship League teams | |
| Dhaka Senior Division League teams | |
| Currently inactive | |
| Defunct clubs |
Statistics
Seasonal statistics
| Season | Total Goals | Matches played | Average per Game |
| 2007 | 273 | 110 | 2.48 |
| 2008–09 | 280 | 110 | 2.54 |
| 2009–10 | 391 | 156 | 2.50 |
| 2010 | 334 | 132 | 2.55 |
| 2011–12 | 295 | 110 | 2.68 |
| 2012–13 | 162 | 72 | 2.25 |
| 2013–14 | 382 | 135 | 2.82 |
| 2014–15 | 332 | 110 | 3.01 |
| 2015–16 | 342 | 132 | 2.59 |
| 2017–18 | 302 | 132 | 2.28 |
| 2018–19 | 439 | 156 | 2.81 |
| 95 | 36 | 2.64 | |
| 2020–21 | 472 | 156 | 3.03 |
| 2021–22 | 447 | 132 | 3.39 |
| 2022–23 | 324 | 110 | 2.95 |
| 2023–24 | 263 | 90 | 2.92 |
| 2024–25 | 282 | 90 | 3.13 |
Head coaches
In terms of coaching performance, after the first 17 seasons of the BFL, Bangladeshi head coaches have won it 7 times while foreign head coaches have won it 9 times and one season was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic. Pakir Ali of Sri Lanka was the first foreign head coach to win the BFL while the second coach was Ali Akbar Pourmoslemi of Iran. Spaniard Óscar Bruzón has the most BFL championships at five and was the most recent foreign coach to win the title in the 2023–24 season.Amalesh Sen was the first Bangladeshi coach to win the BFL in the league's opening season and he has won BFL championships three times. Maruful Haque, Atiqur Rahman Atique and Alfaz Ahmed are the only other Bangladeshi coaches to have won the Bangladesh Football League.
| Head coach | Club | Win | Winning season | ||||
 Top scorersBold indicates a player still active in the Bangladesh Football League. Italics indicates a player still active outside the Bangladesh Football League.
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