Hamza Choudhury, a UK-based footballer, has received official permission to play for Bangladesh from FIFA’s Football Tribunal’s Player Status Chamber.
After receiving a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the England Football Association (FA), only one barrier remained for Hamza. Now, that has been cleared. FIFA’s Football Tribunal has granted the permission for him to represent Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) confirmed in a press release on Thursday that Hamza, who currently plays for Leicester City in the English Premier League, is now eligible to play for the national team.
Following the acquisition of a Bangladeshi passport in late August, BFF requested an NOC from the FA. After obtaining clearance from the FA, the next step was to seek approval from FIFA’s Player Status Committee, which has now granted permission.
The BFF stated, “The Bangladesh Football Federation is delighted to announce that Hamza Dewan Choudhury, a UK-based footballer of Bangladeshi descent, has officially received permission to play for the Bangladesh national football team.”
“The Bangladesh Football Federation hopes that Hamza Choudhury’s inclusion will serve as an inspiration for the new generation of footballers in the country and open doors for Bangladesh’s future success on the international stage.”
Hamza, the first Bangladeshi to play in the English Premier League, joined Leicester City in 2015. He was loaned to Burton Albion the following year, where he played until 2017. Last season, he was loaned to Watford. The 26-year-old has a contract with Leicester City that runs until 2027.
Currently, the national team also includes Finnish-based Kazi Tariq Raihan and Denmark-based Jamal Bhuiyan.
