Cavalry FC midfielder Shamit Shome, who won two caps for Canada in 2020, has switched his international allegiance to Bangladesh.
The 27-year-old Shome was born in Edmonton to parents who came from Bangladesh in their 20s.
FIFA has approved his application for a one-time change of association from Canada, meaning he could represent No. 183 Bangladesh in the June international window, which includes a 2027 Asia Cup qualifying match against No. 161 Singapore on June 10 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Like other countries, including Canada, Bangladesh has reached out to eligible footballers to build its roster.
Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury, a former England under-21 player who was born in England to a father from Grenada and mother from Bangladesh, has also switched to Bangladesh. Choudhury is currently on loan to Sheffield United.
Bangladesh captain Jamal Bhuyan was born in Denmark to Bangladeshi parents.
Shome says while Bangladesh football officials had been pursuing him for some time, he had put them off for a while. Talks turned serious a couple of months ago.
With the Canada door seemingly closed, Shome was open to the opportunity.
"Truthfully I think everybody wants to play for the national team. And I got a taste of it luckily at an young age," he said in an interview. "There was always a part of me that hoped that maybe I would get an opportunity again.
"But obviously now that I'm getting older in my career and settling down a bit, I thought it was the right time to change things up and kind of pursue a new opportunity — and a different style of international football, one that I have no idea what will be like. Different traditions, different style of play. So I'm really excited for that challenge."
While he has not spoken to Canada Soccer about the change, he said the Canadian federation approved the request from Bangladesh quickly.
Shome was taken by Montreal in the second round (41st overall) of the 2017 MLS SuperDraft. Then 19, he had been with FC Edmonton of the NASL before becoming part of the MLS's inaugural Generation Adidas Canada class.
Shome, who came up through the FC Edmonton academy, was a nominee for Canadian under-20 player of the year in 2016.
Shome said his parents are proud of his decision, as are relatives on his father's side still back in Bangladesh.
"They're really, really excited to see me and to see me play live, because they' haven't really got that chance (before)."
Shome has visited Bangladesh several times as a boy with his family, with the most recent visit about three years or four ago.
Cavalry (1-2-1) plays at Halifax (3-0-2) in Canadian Premier League play Saturday.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2025
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
