Football fans attending the upcoming SAFF Championship in Dhaka, which begins on November 5, will need to pay at least 1,000 taka for entry. SAFF General Secretary Purushottam Kattel announced that this price functions as a day pass, allowing spectators to watch two matches during the group stage. Effectively, this brings the cost down to an average of 500 taka per match. Pricing for the semifinal rounds has not yet been finalized.
All ticket sales will be handled through the Tickify platform. The choice of provider has drawn some attention, as the organization previously managed ticket sales for a Bangladesh-Singapore match, where they encountered difficulties in handling user demand. Observers will be watching to see how the platform manages the higher traffic expected during this major regional tournament.
A significant technological shift is arriving for this competition, as organizers plan to implement Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology for the first time. The system will be tested during the final group stage matches and will be fully utilized throughout the semifinals and the final. To support this implementation, officials have decided to bring in referees from outside South Asia. Consequently, local referees from the region, including those from Bangladesh, will not officiate matches during the event.
Kattel explained that the decision to source referees from outside the region was primarily logistical. Since officials from abroad would have to be brought in for the final three matches anyway, it was deemed more efficient and cost-effective to have them manage the entire tournament rather than rotating them. Furthermore, SAFF addressed concerns regarding India’s participation, confirming that the country will compete as scheduled. India has already submitted their team list, although it remains unclear whether they will send an Under-23, junior, or senior squad. Regardless, SAFF maintains that the team will participate under the official banner of the Indian national side.
