The official match schedule for the upcoming SAFF Championship has been released, placing Bangladesh in a group alongside Sri Lanka and Bhutan. Bangladesh will kick off their tournament campaign on November 5 against Bhutan, followed by a match against Sri Lanka on November 11. All group-stage matches for Bangladesh are scheduled to commence at 8:00 PM. However, the final group composition remains subject to change; if Nepal is cleared of its FIFA suspension by September 30, it will join the group, which would necessitate adjustments to the current schedule.
In the other group, India, Maldives, and Pakistan will compete. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals, scheduled for November 14, followed by the grand final on November 17. Every match of the tournament is set to take place at the National Stadium in Dhaka. This marks the return of the SAFF Championship to Bangladesh for the first time since 2018, ending an eight-year wait to host the regional mega-event.
The Bangladesh team is aiming to leverage the home-ground advantage to clinch the championship title. Historically, Bangladesh secured the SAFF trophy only once, back in 2003, when they also served as the host nation. With the tournament returning to home soil, the national squad is looking to make this year’s edition a memorable one.
