Bangladesh may be ranked 181st in the FIFA rankings and remain a long way from qualifying for the FIFA World Cup, but every four years the country transforms into one of football's most passionate fan nations.
From bustling cities to remote villages, football has become the centre of national conversation. Late-night World Cup matches have turned into community festivals, with streets, tea stalls, university campuses and neighbourhoods overflowing with fans wearing their favourite jerseys and animatedly debating every result.
For many Bangladeshis, the country seems divided into two camps: Argentina and Brazil. Yet supporters of France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, England, Croatia, Japan and Nigeria have also made their presence felt, flying their national flags across towns and villages.
Weeks before the tournament kicked off, friendly arguments over who would lift the trophy had already begun. Tea stalls, offices and family gatherings became arenas for lively football debates, with supporters confidently declaring their teams would emerge as champions long before a ball had been kicked.
Across the country, rooftops, roadsides and neighbourhood entrances have been decorated with giant national flags of supporters' favourite teams. Argentina and Brazil fans, in particular, have engaged in an unofficial contest to produce the country's longest football flags.
Among the most remarkable examples is German supporter Amjad Hossain from Magura, who unveiled a 7.5-kilometre-long German flag after selling part of his land to finance the project. Displayed at Nishchintapur High School field, the enormous flag attracted hundreds of visitors from surrounding districts.
"My love for Germany inspired me to do this," Amjad said, adding that he hopes one day the flag will be preserved in a museum in Germany. If Germany wins the World Cup, he says he plans to make an even larger version by 2030.
Yet the celebrations have not been without tragedy.
Between June 8 and June 27, at least five people died while attempting to hoist their favourite teams' flags. Three supporters were electrocuted while putting up flags for Brazil and Argentina in Mymensingh, Chittagong and Manikganj. Two others died after falling from a rooftop and a tree while flying the flags of Brazil and France in Tangail and Sylhet.
The incidents have cast a shadow over an otherwise festive atmosphere and highlighted the risks associated with increasingly elaborate displays of fandom.
Public screenings have become one of the defining features of Bangladesh's World Cup experience.
From city streets to village tea stalls, thousands of supporters gather nightly to watch matches on projectors and giant LED screens. In many neighbourhoods, local residents have pooled money to rent projectors, install power backup systems and arrange seating so everyone can enjoy the matches together. Temporary stages, decorative lighting and football-themed murals have further transformed public spaces into festive venues.
Organisers say the gatherings are about more than supporting different teams. Fans of rival nations come together every night to celebrate their shared love of football.
Among the country's most popular viewing venues is Dhaka University's Teacher-Student Centre (TSC), which turns into a sea of blue and white or yellow and green whenever Argentina or Brazil play.
Students, families and football lovers from across the capital flock to the campus, creating an atmosphere that resembles a stadium rather than a university. During Argentina's match, in which Lionel Messi broke the World Cup scoring record, Argentina's ambassador to Bangladesh joined supporters at Mohsin Hall to watch the game.
"I feel like I am in my own country," the ambassador said. "It feels like I am in Argentina."
Similar arrangements have been made at public universities across the country, while hotels, restaurants and cafés are hosting special World Cup viewing events.
Among private universities, Daffodil International University has drawn widespread attention for organising one of the country's largest public screenings, where thousands of supporters watch matches together on giant screens. Videos of the celebrations even caught the attention of Brazilian superstar Neymar Jr., who liked one of the university's viral social media posts.
This year's tournament has also transformed parts of Dhaka into football-themed attractions.
One of the most popular destinations is KM Das Lane in Tikatuli, now widely known as "FIFA Lane". The narrow street has been decorated with murals of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr., Kylian Mbappé, Pelé, Diego Maradona and Ronaldo Nazário, alongside the flags of all 48 participating nations. The vibrant display has attracted thousands of visitors and become a viral sensation on social media.
Football fever extends well beyond decorations. Shopping malls, roadside markets and street vendors are doing brisk business selling jerseys and flags, while supporters celebrate victories with processions, sweets and fireworks. In some villages, entire communities have painted their streets and houses in the colours of Argentina or Brazil.
Not all rivalries remain friendly, however. In recent years, playful banter has increasingly escalated into verbal abuse, online trolling and even physical confrontations. Several clashes over football flags and team loyalties have already been reported during this World Cup.
Yet despite occasional tensions, football continues to unite millions of Bangladeshis in a way few other events can.
The tournament is taking place more than 12,000 kilometres away across the United States, Canada and Mexico, and Bangladesh has no team on the field. Still, judging by the packed public screenings, colourful streets and sleepless nights, one could easily mistake the country for one of the World Cup's host nations.
For millions of Bangladeshis, football is far more than a sport. Every four years, the World Cup becomes a nationwide festival—an emotion that transcends rivalries and brings communities together through a shared passion for the beautiful game.