Dbarta24 Sports Desk — The South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship is set to return to Bangladeshi soil after eight years, with hosts Bangladesh kicking off their campaign against Bhutan on November 5.
The opening match of Group A will take place at the National Stadium in Dhaka, commencing at 8:00 PM local time.
Adding to the opening-day excitement, traditional football rivals India and Pakistan will clash in a high-voltage Group B fixture earlier the same afternoon at 3:30 PM.
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│ TOURNAMENT AT A GLANCE │
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│ Host Nation │ Bangladesh (National Stadium, Dhaka) │
│ Kick-off Date │ November 5, 2026 │
│ Host Opener │ Bangladesh vs Bhutan (8:00 PM) │
│ Semifinals │ November 14, 2026 │
│ Grand Final │ November 17, 2026 (8:00 PM) │
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Group Dynamics & Fixture Breakdown
Bangladesh has been placed in Group A alongside Bhutan and Sri Lanka. Following their curtain-raiser against Bhutan, the host nation will take on Sri Lanka in their second group match on November 11 at 8:00 PM. The other Group A match between Sri Lanka and Bhutan is scheduled for November 8.
Group B features defending champions India, Pakistan, and the Maldives. Key fixtures for Group B include:
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November 5: India vs Pakistan (3:30 PM)
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November 8: Pakistan vs Maldives
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November 11: India vs Maldives
Following the round-robin group stage, the top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals, set to be played on November 14 at 3:00 PM and 8:30 PM respectively. The tournament will culminate in the final on November 17 at 8:00 PM.
Conditional Revision Pending Nepal’s FIFA Status
Organizers noted that the current schedule remains provisional due to Nepal’s ongoing FIFA suspension. Nepal was excluded from the August draw; however, if FIFA lifts the suspension by September 30, Nepal will be integrated into Bangladesh’s group. Should Nepal join the tournament, a revised fixture list will be released, moving the tournament start date forward to November 4.
For the host nation, the upcoming tournament carries historical weight. Bangladesh last lifted the SAFF Championship trophy on home turf back in 2003, making this edition a significant opportunity to relive past glory in front of home supporters.