The fifth edition of Embassy Football Fest 2024 will begin on Friday at the International School Dhaka (ISD) ground in the Bashundhara Residential Area in the capital.
Organized by Game Play, a two-day tournament featuring teams from over 20 embassies, high commissions, and international organizations, including host Bangladesh.
The opening ceremony will be inaugurated by Mohammad Jashim Uddin, the foreign secretary of Bangladesh, while the closing ceremony and award distribution ceremony will be held on Saturday (Dec 14) evening with Tabith Awal, president of the Bangladesh Football Federation, as the chief guest.
Prominent guests expected at the opening ceremony include Megan Bouldin, Charg, d'Affaires of the US Embassy in Dhaka; Ajit Singh, High Commissioner of Canada; and Syed Ahmed Maroof, High Commissioner of Pakistan, along with other diplomats and organization heads. Notably, several ambassadors and high commissioners will actively participate in the tournament, such as Ajit Singh, who will captain the Canadian High Commission football team.
In this regard, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Game Play hosted a joint press conference at The Westin, which is the hospitality partner of the event, on Wednesday to unveil the tournament trophy.
Mohammad Rois Hasan Sarwar, director general of the regional organizations wing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with Faisal Titumir, chairman of Game Play, and Maksum-ul-Hossain, CEO of Game Play, addressed the event.
During the press conference, Sarwar emphasized that "The Embassy Football Fest will strengthen friendship and foster closer ties between embassies through sportsmanship and collaboration."
Faisal Titumir said, "With your enthusiastic participation, we believe this fifth edition will continue the success like previous years."
He further stated that this event, featuring notable participation from various countries, is a testament to the harmony and goodwill shared between Bangladesh and the global community.
Through this festival, we aim to convey the message that Bangladesh is more united than ever and committed to fostering fraternity with all nations, he added.
Since 2018, Game Play has been organizing the Embassy Fest, hosting four football tournaments and one cricket tournament. The British High Commission won the last football tournament in 2023, with the US Embassy finishing as runners-up.
This year's tournament will feature 20 teams: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh (Host), US Embassy, British High Commission, Australian High Commission, Canadian High Commission, Saudi Embassy, Pakistan High Commission, Indian High Commission, Russian Embassy, United Nations, Nordic Team (Denmark, Norway, and Sweden), Indonesian Embassy, Malaysian High Commission, European Union, World Health Organization, World Bank, Palestinian Embassy, Netherlands Embassy, Turkish Embassy, and Italian Embassy.
The tournament will see a total of 48 matches, including 40 group-stage games, four quarterfinals, two semifinals, a third-place playoff, and the final match. The matches will be held on Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm each day. The final is scheduled for Saturday at 4 PM, followed by the trophy presentation by Tabith Awal.
The title sponsor for Embassy Football Fest 2024 is Saudia Airlines, with co-sponsors Brothers Furniture and Concord. The event's hospitality partners are The Westin and Sheraton, while other partners include Polar (Ice Cream Partner), United Healthcare (Healthcare Partner), ISD (Venue Partner), Partex (Hygiene Partner), Bruvana (Beverage Partner), Nirvana (Mental Health and Wellness Partner), and Dr. Water (Hydration Partner). The event's media partner is Jamuna Television.