15/01/2026
3rd Rohingya Football Tournament Officially Kicks Off in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
As the displacement of the Rohingya Refugees who fled persecution in Myanmar’s Rakhine (Arakan) State continues, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency maintains its uninterrupted humanitarian and social support activities in the refugee camps.
Within this framework, the now-traditional 3rd Rohingya Football Tournament officially commenced on 14 January 2026 in the Rohingya refugee camps of Cox’s Bazar.
The tournament, organized to enhance social solidarity and boost youth motivation in the camps hosting approximately 1.3 million Rohingya refugees, features 16 teams selected from 33 different camps. A total of 31 matches will be played over the one-month event.
The opening match took place with intense participation from around 15,000 people. Matches are currently ongoing on two different pitches in the camps, with each game being followed live by at least 10,000 spectators on site. Speaking at the opening match, Rohingya Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Mohammad Mizanur Rahman expressed his gratitude to TİKA, the main sponsor of the tournament, and to the Republic of Türkiye. Rahman emphasized the tournament’s importance in boosting morale and fostering unity within the refugee community.
TİKA had previously supported the tournaments held in 2024 and 2025, contributing to the continuity of the event. This year as well, TİKA is providing sports equipment, field arrangements, and organizational support.
Officials stated that the primary aim of the tournament is not merely athletic achievement, but to instill discipline, solidarity, and team spirit among young people who are struggling with the harsh conditions of camp life, and to help steer them away from negative habits and criminal tendencies.
Following the final match, awards will be presented to the top-ranking teams in a formal ceremony. The tournament is regarded as a significant event in terms of social rehabilitation and boosting morale and motivation within the Rohingya community.
