There is a frenzy among Bangladeshi Catholics and other football fans around the World Cup 2026.

Although their country is not competing in the tournament this time, soccer-crazy citizens of the south Asian country are following the contest closely and enthusiastically.

People are wearing their favorite team’s jerseys, decorating their homes in the style of their favorite team’s flag, and lining the streets on their teams’ game days.

Sagor Thomas Tolentino, 36, is a Catholic health worker and lives in Germany, about 7,000 kilometers from Bangladesh for work, but he has decorated his house in Natore, a northern district of Bangladesh, in the style of the German flag, with pictures of current and legendary German players adorning the front of the house.

Tolentino directed the decoration process remotely, via video call.

Hundreds of people come to visit the house every day, take pictures, and the house is also going viral on social media.

“My son has been living in Germany for about ten years and is a nurse,” said Kakon Gomes, the mother of Kulentunu, a German expatriate. “Out of his love for Germany and football,” she told Crux Now, “he has decorated his house with the colors of the German flag and pictures of the players.”

“Many people come to see our house,” she said, “people have named it ‘German House’, which makes me very happy.”

Not only Tolentino, but millions of people all over Bangladesh have decorated their streets, houses, and shopping malls to support their favorite football team. Some are also walking around wearing jerseys to support their favorite team.

Shyamoli Clara Cruze, 28, a university student, told Crux Now, “The World Cup is a joy for Bangladesh, even though Bangladesh could not participate. On this occasion, I bought the jersey of my favorite team, Argentina, and I watch the game with my friends and relatives.

Like many, Cruze has prayed and vowed to his mother Mary for his favorite team to win, although has not revealed what she vowed.

“I prayed and vowed to my mother Mary that my favorite team, Argentina, would win the World Cup,”  Cruze told Crux Now.

People here in Bangladesh take their soccer very seriously, and sometimes things can take a turn from fun to dangerous. It is not uncommon to see fights between supporters of opposing teams, which can be serious enough to involve police intervention.

“There are many die-hard fans who get angry and act inhumanely towards each other if someone says something against the team, and the situation escalates to the point where fights break out,” Cruze added.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is underway from June 11 to July 19, 2026. This 23rd edition of the tournament features 48 teams. A total of 104 matches is being played in 16 host cities across  the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

The distance from Bangladesh to the World Cup host countries is more than 5,000 miles, but Bangladesh is riding the festive wave.

Soccer is big in the country, and growing.

The Bangladesh bishops’ youth commission organizes an annual soccer tournament involving teams from different areas of the country, while diocesan youth commissions organize tournaments locally.

Several players of Bangladeshi extraction are playing in top-tier soccer clubs around the world.

Bangladeshi girls and young women have made considerable progress in soccer, too. The current captain of the national football team, Maria Manda, is an indigenous Catholic. Some other Catholics also playing in the women’s national team.