Bangladesh have been drawn alongside Sri Lanka and Bhutan in Group A for the upcoming fifteenth edition of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship. With a twenty-three-year title drought weighing heavily on the national side, the tournament carries immense significance as the nation prepares to host the regional showpiece on home soil.
Meanwhile, Group B features reigning champions India pitted against Maldives and Pakistan. The official group-stage draw was conducted on Saturday in the Bhutanese capital of Thimphu, bringing together delegates and football officials from across the region. Among the prominent attendees was Kazi Salahuddin, who was re-elected unopposed as SAFF president earlier the very same day.
Although the regional body comprises seven member associations, Nepal was excluded from the initial draw due to an ongoing suspension imposed by FIFA. However, tournament organisers have clarified that if the All Nepal Football Association resolves its FIFA suspension issues by 30 September, the Himalayan nation will be permitted to participate. Under such a scenario, Nepal could potentially be slotted into Group A to grant the host nation, Bangladesh, a chance to play additional matches in the preliminary phase, though no formal confirmation has been issued on this adjustment yet.
The stage is now set for South Asia’s premier international football competition, which is scheduled to run from 4 to 17 November. For Bangladesh, the tournament represents a long-awaited opportunity to recapture past glory. The country last tasted regional triumph back in 2003, when they famously lifted the SAFF trophy in front of a jubilant home crowd. Decades of near-misses and heartbreak have passed since that historic victory, heightening the urgency and ambition within the squad to seize home advantage this coming November.
