SAFF Championship 2026: Young India side under Naushad Moosa faces Pakistan

India begin the defence of their SAFF Championship title against Pakistan on Thursday, 5 November 2026, at the National Stadium in Dhaka, with a young, second-string squad led by India U23 head coach Naushad Moosa. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) named a 28-player squad on Friday, 30 October, and the first group of players reached Dhaka on Tuesday, 3 November. The senior team under head coach Khalid Jamil will instead travel to New Zealand for two friendlies during the tournament, which gives several fringe and under-23 players a rare chance in an international competition.

The SAFF Championship is South Asia's main international football tournament, and India go into it as holders. This time the AIFF has split its resources. The tournament falls outside FIFA's international window, so clubs in the Indian Super League (ISL), whose season is under way, were not obliged to release players. Reports say the federation asked SAFF to move India's fixtures and the clubs agreed to release some players, but India will still start with a depleted group, and the first-choice side under Khalid Jamil is committed to the New Zealand friendlies.

The result is a squad built largely around under-23 players and a few who have dropped out of recent senior camps. For young footballers, that is the real story. A SAFF campaign gives them competitive minutes against national teams, a match against Pakistan that will draw attention across the region, and a chance to press for a place in the senior side before the next international window.

The goalkeepers are Arsh Anwer Shaikh, Mohanraj K and Priyansh Dubey. The midfield list includes Abhishek Suryavanshi, Adison Singh Thokchom, Brison Fernandes, Ebindas Yesudasan, Farukh Choudhary, Macarton Nickson, Manglenthang Kipgen, Nikhil Prabhu, Noufal PN, Ricky John Shabong and Suresh Singh Wangjam. The forwards are Irfan Yadwad, Liston Colaco, Muhammad Suhail, Vishnu PV and Suhail Ahmad Bhat. One club-by-club count says Punjab FC supply seven players, Mumbai City FC four and Chennaiyin FC two.

The coaching set-up also points to youth. Moosa already works with the under-23 group, and Bibiano Fernandes has spent recent years with India's age-group teams, most recently the under-15 side.

Peepals calculation: 18 of the 28 players travelled on the first day, so about 64% of the squad arrived with the advance group and about 36% (10 players) are still to join (18 ÷ 28 ≈ 0.64). Midfielders are the largest group at 11 of 28, or about 39% of the squad (11 ÷ 28 ≈ 0.39). Our calculation from the reported figures.

Short-term: The opening game against Pakistan comes two days after the first players landed, and with part of the squad still to arrive, Moosa may have limited choices for the first match. A good result would leave India needing a positive result against the Maldives on 11 November to reach the semi-finals.

Long-term: Strong performances here could push some under-23 players into Khalid Jamil's plans. The tournament is also a test of how Indian football handles clashes between club and country, an issue that will return whenever a regional event falls outside FIFA's calendar.

Who is affected: The players picked, especially those from the under-23 pool; ISL clubs that released players in mid-season; the AIFF, which must defend the title with a reduced side; and fans following both the Dhaka tournament and the senior team in New Zealand.

What to watch next: India vs Pakistan on 5 November at 3 pm IST, India vs Maldives on 11 November, the semi-finals on 14 November and the final on 17 November.

Questions and Answers