SAFF Championship: First opponent Bhutan arrive in Dhaka

Bhutan have arrived in Dhaka ahead of their opening match against hosts Bangladesh in the SAFF Championship 2026, which kicks off on November 5 as South Asia's premier football tournament returns to the capital after eight years.

The National Stadium in Dhaka will host all matches of the 15th edition of the tournament, which will conclude with the final on November 17. Bangladesh will aim to begin their campaign with a victory over Bhutan as they seek to reclaim the regional title.

Seven South Asian teams were initially expected to take part in the competition, but Nepal have been left out of the current fixture due to their FIFA suspension.

Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka are in Group A, while defending champions India, the Maldives and Pakistan make up Group B. Each team will play two group-stage matches, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semifinals on November 14. The final is scheduled for November 17.

Bangladesh have won the SAFF Championship title only once, in 2003, when they defeated the Maldives in the final on home soil. They reached the final again in 2005 but lost to India.

After 23 years, Bangladesh are targeting a second SAFF title, hoping to use home advantage and crowd support to fuel their campaign. Their immediate priority, however, is to beat Bhutan in the opening match and take an early step towards the semifinals.