The Axentec Presents FICCI Football Tournament 2026, organized by Nutmeg under the banner of the Foreign Investors’ Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), officially kicked off with a vibrant opening ceremony at Nutmeg Field, Sun Valley Abashon, Shatarkul, Dhaka, a press release said.
The ceremony brought together a distinguished lineup of guests, corporate leaders, and participating teams, marking the start of one of Bangladesh’s premier corporate football platforms. Among the notable attendees were Fahad Karim, Vice President, Bangladesh Football Federation; M. H. M Fairoz, Managing Director & CEO, Singer Bangladesh Limited and Director, FICCI; Manas Singh, CEO, STS Capital Ltd. and Director FICCI; Chris Alt, Global President A&E; Md. Adil Hossain, Managing Director & CEO, Axentec; T.I.M. Nurul Kabir, Executive Director, FICCI and Mahbub Alam, Managing Director, Nutmeg.
The program commenced with team warm-ups, followed by guest introductions and keynote speeches highlighting the importance of corporate sports in fostering teamwork, leadership, and collaboration. Fahad Karim, Vice President, Bangladesh Football Federation, praised the tournament as a valuable platform for promoting football at the corporate level and encouraging broader participation, expressing optimism about its contribution to the country’s growing football culture. The tournament was then officially inaugurated, followed by the ceremonial entry of participating teams onto the pitch. The segment concluded with an official photo session featuring the opening match teams, adding to the celebratory atmosphere.
This year’s edition features 20 leading multinational and corporate teams, reflecting a significant expansion from its debut season and reinforcing its position as a major platform for corporate engagement through sports.
The tournament opened with an exciting match between defending champions Foodpanda Bangladesh Limited and Singer Bangladesh Limited, setting the tone for the competition ahead. Foodpanda delivered a dominant performance with a 4–0 victory over Singer, marking a strong start to their title defense.
The opening day also featured several competitive fixtures, where American & Efird Bangladesh Ltd. secured a 2–1 win against STS Group, while British American Tobacco Bangladesh registered an impressive 3–0 victory over Standard Chartered Bank. In another match, Robi Axiata PLC. defeated Nestlé Bangladesh PLC. 2–0, adding further excitement to the opening day of the tournament.
These results delivered an engaging start to the tournament, drawing strong attention from both spectators and online viewers.
The tournament is proudly supported by Title Sponsor Axentec, with Singer-Beko as Co-Sponsor, Sprite Mint as Beverage Partner, Backpage PR as PR Partner and NovoAir as airline partner all contributing to the successful execution and visibility of the event.
Running from April 24 to May 15, 2026, the tournament will feature 50 matches across 16 match days, played in a group-stage and knockout format, including both Cup and Plate segments. All matches will be streamed live on Nutmeg Dhaka and the FICCI Facebook page, ensuring wide audience engagement throughout the tournament.
With a strong opening and enthusiastic participation, the FICCI Football Tournament 2026 promises an exciting season of competition, teamwork, and corporate solidarity on the field.
