Pakistan Name 28-Man Squad for SAFF Championship
The Pakistan SAFF Championship 2026 squad has been announced by the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF). The squad carries a clear problem. Several key players will miss the group matches and can only join the team if Pakistan reach the semifinals.
The squad announcement came nearly a day after most of the players had already left for Bangladesh. The tournament runs from November 5 to 17 at the National Stadium in Dhaka. Pakistan open their campaign against India on November 5, then face Maldives on November 8. Both games fall outside the November FIFA international window, which explains the missing players.
The club-release problem
Captain Abdullah Iqbal, defender Easah Suliman and wingers Abdul Samad Arshad and Ali Akbar Khan are all in the squad. None of the four will be available for the group stage. Their clubs did not release them early, since Pakistan’s group games fall outside the FIFA window. Clubs must release players during the window, but outside it they can keep them.
All four are regular starters. Their absence weakens Pakistan at the exact moment the team needs strength most. India on November 5 is the hardest group fixture, and Maldives on November 8 is a must-win game if Pakistan want to reach the last four. The four players can only join if Pakistan qualify for the semifinals, which take place on November 14. The final follows on November 17.
Other absences add to the strain. Otis Khan and Harun Hamid remain unavailable. Mohammed Fazal, Abdullah Shah and Ali Agha are out through injury or fitness concerns. The gaps have opened doors for returning players. Zainul Abideen Ishaque, Haseeb Ahmed Khan, Junaid Shah and Tufail Khan Shinwari return to the national team. McKeal Abdullah also returns after last playing for Pakistan in 2025.
Two new faces earned first senior call-ups. Midfielder Muhammad Junaid and striker Najeebullah impressed at the SAFF U20 Championship in the Maldives earlier this year, and both now step up to the senior side. Their selection shows the coaching staff are willing to trust youth when senior options drop out.
The Pakistan SAFF Championship 2026 squad in full
Head coach Nolberto Solano leads the team, with Titus Bramble and Walid Javaid as assistant coaches. Shahzaib Ahmed Khan serves as team manager, Zahid Taj as goalkeeper coach, Muhammad Adnan as physiotherapist and Asghar Khan Anjum as technical observer.
Goalkeepers: Saqib Hanif, Hassan Ali, Yousuf Butt.
Defenders: Abdul Rehman, Abdullah Iqbal, Ali Khan Niazi, Easah Suliman, Haris Zeb, Haseeb Khan, Mamoon Moosa Khan, Mohibullah Afridi, Waqar Ehtisham Baloch.
Midfielders: Junaid Shah, Adil Nabi, Ali Uzair, Hayyaan Khattak, Tufail Khan Shinwari, Zainul Abideen Ishaque, Muhammad Junaid, Ali Akbar Khan.
Forwards: Abdul Samad Arshad, Alamgir Ghazi, Kaleemullah, McKeal Abdullah, Najeebullah, Shayak Dost, Umar Nawaz.
The squad mixes experience with youth, but the timing problem shapes the whole selection. The team that starts against India will look very different from the team that could play a semifinal, if Pakistan get that far.
Group and recent form
Pakistan sit in Group B with India and Maldives. Group A holds hosts Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan. Nepal will not take part, since FIFA suspended the All Nepal Football Association over governance issues.
Pakistan’s recent form gives mixed signals. The team last played in the first FIFA ASEAN Cup in Indonesia during the September-October window. They lost 4-0 to Thailand, then drew 2-2 with the Philippines in a surprise result, before losing 4-2 to Vietnam to end their Group B campaign. That run showed both promise and fragility. Pakistan can compete in spells, but they have yet to put a full tournament together.
The India game will draw the most attention. Pakistan against India always carries weight beyond the points, and this time Pakistan will face their rivals without their captain and three other starters. A result there would count as a major achievement. A defeat would leave the Maldives game as a straight fight for survival in the group.
For Pakistan football, the tournament is a test of depth. The senior team has struggled for stability in recent years, with club-release problems, injuries and short preparation time all hitting at once. A run to the semifinals, with the four missing starters then available, would change the shape of the campaign. A group-stage exit would raise fresh questions about planning and about the timing of the squad announcement itself.
Related coverage: Solano targeting the SAFF semi-finals, Farhan backing Pakistan to defend the U19 Asia Cup title, Saudi Pro League postponing Matchday 13, Barcelona beating Aston Villa 3-0.
Frequently asked questions
When and where is the SAFF Championship 2026?
The tournament runs from November 5 to 17, 2026, at the National Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The semifinals take place on November 14 and the final on November 17.
Who are Pakistan’s group opponents?
Pakistan sit in Group B with India and Maldives. They play India on November 5 and Maldives on November 8.
Why will four key players miss the group stage?
Captain Abdullah Iqbal, Easah Suliman, Abdul Samad Arshad and Ali Akbar Khan were not released early by their clubs, since the group games fall outside the November FIFA international window. They can only join if Pakistan reach the semifinals.
Who coaches Pakistan?
Nolberto Solano is head coach. Titus Bramble and Walid Javaid serve as assistant coaches.
Which new players earned call-ups?
Midfielder Muhammad Junaid and striker Najeebullah earned first senior call-ups after playing at the SAFF U20 Championship in the Maldives earlier this year.
Why is Nepal absent?
Nepal will not take part because FIFA suspended the All Nepal Football Association over governance issues.
