Brazil want to play friendly against Bangladesh on Oct 6: Reports

Five-time world champions Brazil have reportedly proposed playing a FIFA friendly against Bangladesh in Dhaka on October 6, according to multiple reports.

A five-member delegation of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) made a surprise visit to Dhaka on Sunday, inspecting the facilities at the National Stadium and the Bashundhara Kings Arena in the capital before a courtesy meeting with Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) president Tabith Awal in the night.

Reports started coming in at midnight on Sunday that Brazil are keen to play Bangladesh on October 6, the final day of the FIFA international window, though neither the delegation nor the BFF have issued any official statement.

The FIFA window runs from September 19 to October 6, during which a team can play a maximum of four matches. Brazil will play two friendlies in Australia on September 25 and 29 before facing India in Kolkata on October 3.

Bangladesh, meanwhile, are committed to the FIFA ASEAN Cup in Indonesia from September 24 to October 4, where they are set to play at least four matches — using up their window quota and complicating FIFA recognition for any October 6 fixture.

Interestingly, Bangladesh was invited to the Asean Cup as India’s replacement, who prioritised the friendly against Brazil over the regional meet.

Hosting Brazil would prove costly for the BFF, which would need to charter the squad's 90-member contingent from Kolkata to Dhaka and on to Dubai, according to reports.

Earlier in the day, BFF grounds committee chairman Iqbal Hossain told reporters that the Brazil delegation was assessing the National Stadium both as a possible neutral venue for the Brazil team and for a match against Bangladesh.

"They [the delegation] said our ground could be used as a neutral venue for matches against other countries, and that they could play against Bangladesh here too."