Bangladesh on FIFA World Cup opening stage! Story behind Sanjoy Deb’s jacket

As lights, music and excitement filled the stage during this year’s FIFA World Cup opening ceremony, Bangladesh quietly secured a place in the global spotlight.

It was not through a football team or an official display of the national flag. Instead, Bangladeshi-origin music producer, singer and DJ Sanjoy Deb represented Bangladesh through his performance and attire.

At the opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, held on Friday at BMO Stadium in Toronto, Canada, Sanjoy performed the song “Siir Siir”.

He shared the stage with Canadian artist Nora Fatehi and French hip-hop star Vegedream, performing before millions of viewers worldwide.

However, discussion on social media continued long after the performance ended, as Sanjoy’s distinctive jacket attracted considerable attention.

Delicate embroidery on the right sleeve of the jacket featured three powerful symbols of Bangladesh’s identity: the Bengal tiger, the national flower- water lily, and the red-and-green national flag.

Sanjoy did not stop at merely incorporating these symbols into his clothing. Throughout the performance, he repeatedly gestured towards his sleeve, drawing the attention of the global audience to these emblems.

Interestingly, the idea of showcasing Bangladesh on the world stage had taken shape long before the event.

Speaking to Prothom Alo on Saturday night, Sanjoy said that after news of his participation in the FIFA opening ceremony became public, many people suggested that he wear the Bangladesh national football jersey on stage.

However, he wanted to present his country in a different and more artistic manner.

“I sat down with my team and started thinking about how we could represent Bangladesh on the world stage. Together with my creative director, Chhaya Kumar, I developed the design for this jacket,” said Sanjoy.

Sanjoy explained that each motif on the jacket carried a specific message. The Bengal tiger symbolised Bangladesh’s strength and courage.

The water lily reflected the nation’s heritage and culture. Meanwhile, the red and green colours of the national flag represented peace, harmony and national identity.

However, repeatedly drawing the audience’s attention to the sleeve design during the performance had not been part of the original plan.

Sanjoy said, “I always had a desire to showcase Bangladesh. That is why I acted on instinct. Once I stepped onto the stage, I felt as though the whole of Bangladesh was with me. Every time I wore the jacket before the event, my heartbeat would increase. When I finally stood on the World Cup stage, that feeling became even stronger. I am grateful and proud of the love, support and prayers that the people of Bangladesh have given me.”

Standing on the World Cup opening stage, Sanjoy found himself thinking about his parents and family members. He also reflected on his roots.

Sanjoy said, “Without the love and support of the people of Bangladesh and the blessings of my family, it would not have been possible to reach this position.”

Sanjoy shared a video clip of his World Cup performance on Facebook. By 6:00 pm on Sunday, the 65-second video had received more than 16 million (1.6 lakh) views and nearly 850,000 reactions.

Users had shared the post almost 20,000 times, and it had attracted more than 8,000 comments.