Ahead of the Prime Minister’s Gold Cup National Football Competition 2026, the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) has ordered that at least five football-ready grounds be kept prepared in every upazila across the country. It has also asked that officials physically inspect whether the grounds are ready and send an illustrated report.
The directive was issued Sunday, August 30, in a letter signed by DSHE physical education department deputy director Prof Md Shahidul Islam.
The letter states that the Prime Minister’s Gold Cup National Football Competition will begin September 10. Students from grade six to grade 12 at various types of educational institutions across the country will take part. Roughly 50,000 teams, made up of students from schools, colleges, madrasahs and technical education institutions, are expected to participate in the competition.
Ahead of the competition, secondary and upazila education officers have been instructed to physically inspect whether five football grounds are ready in every upazila. After the inspection, an illustrated report on the current condition of the grounds must be sent to DSHE through the regional director. The report must be sent to a designated email address. Relevant officials have also been instructed to take necessary steps quickly to ensure progress on ground preparation.
Meanwhile, DSHE sources say this is the first time such a large-scale football tournament has been organized nationwide for students from grade six to grade 12, aimed at boosting students’ physical and mental development alongside their interest in sports.
The competition’s preliminary round will be held at the upazila level. It will then proceed through district and divisional levels before the national-level final is held.
The competition is being organized through a joint initiative of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.