The captains' meeting, trophy unveiling and fixture draw for the inaugural International Airlines Football Championship (AFC) 2026 were held today, Wednesday, at Crowne Plaza Dhaka Gulshan.

Held under the theme, "One Sky, One Field, One Champion," the futsal tournament will take place at the Gulshan Youth Club Turf Ground on July 3 and 4.

A total of 16 domestic and international airlines will participate in the sporting event.

The tournament is being organised by the Aviation and Tourism Journalists' Forum of Bangladesh (ATJFB), the country's only association of aviation and tourism journalists.

Envoy-Sheltech Aviation is the title sponsor, while VIP Motors is the powered-by sponsor.

Bangladesh national footballer Topu Barman and former national team captain and striker Zahid Hasan Ameli unveiled the trophy and conducted the fixture draw during the captains' meeting.

The Round of 16 matches on July 3 will see Biman Bangladesh Airlines face Ethiopian Airlines, Air Arabia take on flydubai, Qatar Airways meet AirAsia, and Saudia play Turkish Airlines.

Other fixtures will feature Silk Way West Airlines against Thai Airways, Emirates versus Air India, IndiGo against NOVOAIR, and US-Bangla Airlines taking on Air Astra.

The quarter-finals will also be held on July 3, while the semi-finals, third-place playoff and final are scheduled for July 4.

The co-sponsors of AFC 2026 are Mutual Trust Bank, FirstTrip, Work Station and Pleiades Bangladesh Limited (PBL).

Dhaka Airlines Club has joined as the strategic partner, Crowne Plaza Dhaka Gulshan as the hospitality partner, and Aviation Express as the media partner. Famous Specialized Hospital will provide healthcare support, while Famous Creation will serve as the event support partner. The hydration partner will be Travelport, and the injury insurance partner will be Waadaa Insure.

Among those present at the captains' meeting, trophy unveiling and fixture draw ceremony were VIP Motors Managing Director Bhaskar Nazm, Pleiades Bangladesh Limited Chairman and Managing Director Md Zubair Akhter Chowdhury, Gulshan Youth Club President Dr Wahiduzzaman Tamal, and representatives of injury insurance partner Waadaa Insure.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroz Khanam Rita is expected to attend the 2-day tournament's main event as chief guest.

Ambassadors and high commissioners from various countries, airline country managers, officials of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), and senior aviation industry stakeholders are also expected to attend.

Trophies, medals and awards in various categories will be presented to the winners following the final.

Tanzim Anwar, president of the organising body ATJFB, said, “The aviation sector in Bangladesh has expanded significantly in the last decade. Professionals associated with various domestic and foreign airlines have been making significant contributions to the progress of this sector. However, there was a lack of such a collective platform to further strengthen mutual goodwill, communication and friendship beyond the professional sphere. We believe that the Airlines Football Championship will play an important role in filling that void."