Sports Reporter:
A major sporting initiative by Anvir Bashundhara Group (ABG) is set to bring together some of Bangladesh’s leading private universities, aiming to promote sports among young people and foster a professional sporting culture at the university level.
The logo of the ABG University Cup 2026 was recently unveiled under the leadership of ABG Chairman Sayem Sobhan Anvir. The tournament is expected to create new opportunities for young athletes to showcase their talents and contribute to the development of sports in Bangladesh.
The inaugural edition of the tournament will begin on October 25 at ABG Sports City, featuring simultaneous cricket and football competitions under floodlights. A total of 10 leading private universities will compete in separate tournaments, with teams vying for the championship titles in both sports.
The initiative is being viewed as another step towards improving the country’s sports infrastructure and providing young athletes with access to international-standard sporting facilities. Following the international success of Bashundhara Kings and the development of the modern ABG Sports City complex, the tournament is expected to further strengthen university-level sports in the country.
The participating universities are American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB), North South University (NSU), BRAC University, Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB), University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB), Sonargaon University, United International University (UIU), Fareast International University, University of Scholars and Daffodil International University (DIU).
Ahead of the tournament, a colourful ‘Captains’ Meet and Greet’ was held on Saturday night at the residence of ABG Chairman Sayem Sobhan Anvir in Bashundhara Residential Area.
Among those present were ABG Sports City Director Imrul Hasan, Adviser Bidyut Kumar Bhowmik, T Sports Executive Director Tasvir Ul Islam, Operations Manager Salman Hasan and Ikram Hossain Rafi. Captains of the 20 cricket and football teams, along with students from the participating universities, also attended the event.
To encourage students to pursue sports in a competitive and professional environment, the organisers have announced Tk 10 lakh in prize money for the champions and Tk 5 lakh for the runners-u.
The prize money is expected to generate considerable enthusiasm among the participants, motivating them to demonstrate their skills and compete for the titles. Organisers and stakeholders also hope the tournament will help identify promising talent and contribute to the development of future national-level athletes.
Captains representing the participating universities expressed their excitement about the opportunity to compete in a professional sporting environment. They described the tournament as a source of pride and expressed optimism that the initiative by ABG Chairman Sayem Sobhan Anvir would help strengthen university sports culture and play a significant role in nurturing the next generation of sporting stars in Bangladesh.
With cricket and football taking centre stage under floodlights, the inaugural ABG University Cup 2026 is set to offer university athletes a competitive platform to showcase their abilities while bringing renewed momentum to campus sports in the country.
