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Captains and delegates gather at the ABG University Cup 2026 captains' conference
A colorful captains' conference for the "ABG University Cup 2026" was held at the Zulkan Indoor Arena of ABG Sports City in the Bashundhara Residential Area on Thursday night (October 22). Conceptualized and guided by Sayem Sobhan Anvir, Chairman of Anvir Bashundhara Group (ABG), the mega sports tournament is scheduled to kick off on October 25, aiming to develop the country's sports arena and foster a professional athletic culture at the collegiate level.
The conference was attended by 20 captains representing the cricket and football teams of 10 leading private universities, alongside university delegates and student athletes. The event covered an operational review of tournament preparations, discussions regarding competition bylaws, and the formal lottery to determine group placements. In addition, the official tournament trophies and jerseys were unveiled and distributed to team representatives. A key highlight of the competition, patronized by ABG Chairman Sayem Sobhan Anvir, is that cricket and football matches will be staged concurrently under evening floodlights.
The 10 competing institutions have been drawn into two separate groups for cricket and football:
Cricket Group A: BRAC University, Independent University Bangladesh (IUB), University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB), University of Scholars, and Daffodil International University.
Cricket Group B: American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB), North South University (NSU), Sonargaon University, United International University (UIU), and Fareast International University.
Football Group A: North South University (NSU), Independent University Bangladesh (IUB), United International University (UIU), Fareast International University, and Daffodil International University.
Football Group B: American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB), BRAC University, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB), Sonargaon University, and University of Scholars.
To encourage youth participation, a prize purse of Tk 10 lakh has been allocated for the champion teams in both cricket and football, while the runners-up will receive Tk 5 lakh each.
Md. Imrul Hasan, Director of ABG Sports City, attended the conference as the chief guest. Other notable attendees included Bashundhara Group Media Advisor Abdul Bari, ABG Sports City Advisors Md. Liaquat Hossain and Md. Nazmul Alam Bhuiyan, T Sports Executive Director Tasvir Ul Islam, Operations Manager (Football) Salman Hasan, and Operations Manager (Cricket) Ikram Hossain Rafi.
In his address, chief guest Md. Imrul Hasan stated that while the ABG University Cup is commencing with football and cricket, more sporting disciplines will be incorporated in future editions to expand its scale. He noted that the initiative seeks to provide a competitive platform for collegiate athletes to display their talents and build pathways toward contributing to national sports. Highlighting Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan's longstanding contributions to sports sponsorship and world-class infrastructure—exemplified by ABG Sports City—he reaffirmed that the tournament, guided by ABG Chairman Sayem Sobhan Anvir, will solidify its position in the domestic sporting calendar. The organizers and participating captains expressed optimism that the meet will cultivate teamwork and leadership qualities while unearthing future national talent.
