Pakistan Reach SAFF Championship Semi-Finals
Pakistan have reached the semi-finals of the SAFF Championship 2026 after India beat Maldives 1-0 in Dhaka on Tuesday. The Pakistan SAFF Championship semi-final place was confirmed without the Green Shirts kicking a ball, as the result in the last Group B match went their way.
Pakistan, placed in Group B of the six-team tournament, started their campaign with a 3-2 defeat at the hands of arch-rivals India. They made an immediate turnaround in their next fixture, outclassing Maldives 3-0 to lift themselves into second place.
That win left Pakistan’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage resting on the outcome of the last Group B match between leaders India and Maldives. The national team needed India to win, and the result came in their favour as the Blue Tigers prevailed 1-0 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka, with Suhail Bhat scoring the winner from the spot in the 39th minute.
India topped the Group B standings with six points, while Pakistan finished second with three. Maldives bowed out of the tournament winless.
Pakistan SAFF Championship semi-final: who Pakistan will face
Pakistan’s opponent for the semi-final will be decided after the last league-stage fixture between hosts Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, set to be played at the same venue at 7pm Pakistan time. Since Pakistan finished second in Group B, they will face the Group A toppers in the semi-final, scheduled for November 14.
The draw gives Pakistan a clear target. Win the semi-final, and they reach the final of a tournament in which they were given little chance after the opening defeat to India.
The road so far has been short but dramatic. Pakistan’s 3-0 win over Maldives kept their campaign alive, and the margin of that win mattered: it put Pakistan ahead of Maldives on goal difference and kept them in the race while India decided the group.
Five diaspora players join the squad
Pakistan have received a major boost ahead of the semi-final, as five diaspora players have joined their squad in Bangladesh. The five are Abdullah Iqbal, Easah Suliman, Adil Nabi, Ali Akbar Khan and Abdul Samad.
The players could not turn up for Pakistan in the opening stage of the tournament, as it was held outside the designated FIFA window. Their clubs were not obliged to release them then. With the knockout stage now under way, they are free to join, and their arrival adds depth and experience to a squad that has already shown it can fight back from a defeat.
The new arrivals will give the coaching staff fresh options in defence and midfield. Iqbal and Suliman add steel at the back, while Nabi and Samad offer energy and ball-carrying ability further forward. Ali Akbar Khan adds another option in attack.
Why this run matters
Pakistan football has spent years in the shadows, with the national team playing few matches and the domestic game in disarray. A semi-final place in a regional championship is a rare bright spot, and it comes in a year when Pakistan’s age-group sides have also shown promise.
Pakistan’s under-17 side beat Sri Lanka 3-1 in their AFC qualifiers, and the under-15 squad named for the FIFA U15 World Cup and Festival in Baku shows the pipeline is active. The senior side’s run in Dhaka fits that picture: a team finding its feet again after years of disruption.
The build-up to the tournament was far from smooth. Pakistan’s preparations were hit by a crisis before the squad travelled, with funding and planning issues hanging over the camp. That the team has still reached the last four says something about the players’ resolve.
For the fans, the semi-final on November 14 is now the focus. Pakistan will know their opponents after the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka match, and the diaspora reinforcements will have had time to train with the squad. A place in the final is one win away.
Frequently asked questions
How did Pakistan reach the SAFF Championship semi-finals?
Pakistan finished second in Group B with three points, after losing 3-2 to India and beating Maldives 3-0. India then beat Maldives 1-0, which confirmed Pakistan’s place in the last four.
When is Pakistan’s SAFF Championship semi-final?
The semi-final is scheduled for November 14. Pakistan will face the Group A toppers, decided by the last league match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Which diaspora players have joined Pakistan’s squad?
Abdullah Iqbal, Easah Suliman, Adil Nabi, Ali Akbar Khan and Abdul Samad have joined the squad in Bangladesh. They missed the group stage because it fell outside the FIFA window.
Who scored India’s winner against Maldives?
Suhail Bhat scored the winner for India from the penalty spot in the 39th minute, as India beat Maldives 1-0 in Dhaka.
