Brazil, Argentina envoys hail football's role in fostering peace, unity, friendship

Brazil and Argentina envoys used the opening of a new football tournament in Dhaka to highlight sport’s role in fostering peace, unity, and friendship across nations. The two-day International Airlines Football Championship (AFC) 2026 began on Friday, with a final scheduled for Saturday. The futsal event, themed “One Sky, One Field, One Champion,” features 16 domestic and international airlines. At the Gulshan Youth Club Artificial Football Turf, State Minister for Youth and Sports Md Aminul Haque inaugurated the championship, with Argentine Ambassador Marcelo Carlos Cesa and Brazilian Ambassador Paulo Fernando Dias Feres as special guests. The Brazilian envoy said football represents joy and urged supporters to keep rivalry on the field, while the Argentine diplomat emphasized cultural bonds between countries including Bangladesh, Argentina, and Brazil. Organised by the Aviation and Tourism Journalists’ Forum of Bangladesh (ATJFB), it includes airlines such as Emirates, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, IndiGo, and flydubai.