The SAFF Championship is returning to Bangladesh after eight years. According to the tournament schedule announced today, Tuesday, Bangladesh will play their first match against Bhutan on 5 November.
In their second match, the hosts will face Sri Lanka on 11 November. Both matches will be played at Dhaka’s National Stadium, with kick-off at 8:00 pm.
India end Bangladesh’s hat-trick dream to reclaim SAFF Women’s Championship titleBangladesh are in the same group as Bhutan and Sri Lanka. India, Maldives and Pakistan are in the other group.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals. The two semi-finals will be played on 14 November, with the tournament concluding with the final on 17 November.
However, Bangladesh’s group has not yet been finalised. If FIFA’s suspension of Nepal is lifted by 30 September, Nepal could join Bangladesh’s group. In that case, the schedule will be changed.
The SAFF Championship will be held on home soil again after 2018. The hosts will aim to make the most of the advantage of playing at home. Bangladesh have won the SAFF Championship only once, in 2003, when they were the hosts.
