The SAFF U20 Championship 2026, which was long awaited, has been officially announced on a schedule basis. The tournament, that will be hosted in the Maldives with its scenic venue will be between March 23 and April 3, 2026 and all the matches will be hosted at the National Stadium in the capital city of Male.
It will also feature the presence of some of the brightest young footballing talents which are found in South Asia divided into two very competitive teams.
SAFF U20 Championship 2026 Groups
The game will be contested in two groups. Group A has four teams in it, including the host country, whereas Group B has a very competitive three-team composition, which preconditions some colossal high-profile games at an early stage.
| Group A | Group B |
| Maldives (Hosts) | Bangladesh |
| Nepal | India |
| Bhutan | Pakistan |
| Sri Lanka |
SAFF U20 Championship 2026 Pakistan’s Campaign
Pakistan has been put in the same category as B along with Bangladesh and arch rival, India. The Green Shirts will start their tournament with Bangladesh on March 24. The much hyped game in the group phase will, nevertheless, definitely be the marathon game between Pakistan and India that will take place on March 26.
At the completion of the league stage the top two performing teams in each group shall be guaranteed the direct ticket to semi-finals on April 1, the winner of the contest will find it very hard to book an appearance in the grand final on April 3.
The schedule for the SAFF U20 Championship 2026 in Maldives has been announced.
— Zeeshan Shafi (@izeeshaan3) March 11, 2026
🇵🇰 Pakistan fixtures:
24 March — Pakistan vs Bangladesh
26 March — India vs Pakistan
Top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals. pic.twitter.com/rcDKHk99Yr
Official SAFF U20 Championship 2026 Schedule
| Date | Match Details | Time (Local) |
| 23 March 2026 | Nepal vs Bhutan | 3:45 PM |
| 23 March 2026 | Maldives vs Sri Lanka | 8:30 PM |
| 24 March 2026 | Pakistan vs Bangladesh | 3:45 PM |
| 25 March 2026 | Sri Lanka vs Nepal | 3:45 PM |
| 25 March 2026 | Bhutan vs Maldives | 8:30 PM |
| 26 March 2026 | Pakistan vs India | 3:45 PM |
| 27 March 2026 | Maldives vs Nepal | 3:45 PM |
| 27 March 2026 | Bhutan vs Sri Lanka | 8:30 PM |
| 28 March 2026 | Bangladesh vs India | 3:45 PM |
| 1 April 2026 | Semi-Final 1 (A1 vs B2) | 3:45 PM |
| 1 April 2026 | Semi-Final 2 (B1 vs A2) | 8:30 PM |
| 3 April 2026 | Final | 8:00 PM |
Where is the SAFF U20 Championship 2026 being held?
The tournament is being hosted by the Maldives, with all matches scheduled to be played at the National Stadium in the capital city of Malé.
When is the Pakistan vs India match in the SAFF U20 Championship?
The highly anticipated group stage match between arch-rivals Pakistan and India is scheduled to take place on March 26, 2026, at 3:45 PM.
What is the format of the SAFF U20 Championship 2026?
The tournament features a two-group format (Group A and Group B). The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals on April 1, followed by the Final on April 3.
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