India to open SAFF Championship campaign against Pakistan in Dhaka on Nov 5
India and Pakistan meet in the opening match of the 2026 SAFF Championship at the National Stadium in Dhaka on Thursday, 5 November 2026, with kickoff scheduled for 3 PM IST. The fixture will be live-streamed on the VETO app.
Defending champions India travel under coach Naushad Moosa, who has taken a 28-man squad to Dhaka and is expected to field a youthful group for the tournament. Moosa’s side won the SAFF Championship in 2023, and the coach has signalled an emphasis on attacking, innovative build-up play to put opponents under pressure while the younger players seek a morale-boosting start.
Pakistan, coached by Nolberto Solano, arrive having named a squad that blends youth and experience; England-born Mckeal Aroon Abdullah has received his first call-up to the national team. Pakistan are described in the preview as possibly the lowest-rated national team (in the FIFA World Rankings) participating in the tournament, and Solano has prioritised compact defensive organisation and decisive counter opportunities.
The two nations have met 29 times in senior international football: India have 16 wins, Pakistan four and nine matches have finished level. Their most recent encounter came at the SAFF Championship 2023 in Bengaluru, when India won 4-0; Sunil Chhetri scored a hat-trick and Udanta Singh Kumam added the fourth goal.
Predicted starting lineups provided in the preview list the following players: For India — Priyansh (GK); Hmingthanmawia Ralte, Bijoy Varghese, Nikhil Prabhu, Muhammed Uvais; Macarton Louis, Ricky Shabong, Ebindas; Noufal PN, Muhammad Suhail, Suhail Bhat. For Pakistan — Yousef Butt (GK), Haris Ali Zeb, Abdullah Iqbal, Easah Suliman, Mohib Ullah, Abdul Rehman, M. Hayyaan Khattak, Alamgir Ghazi, Alamgir Ali Khan, Umar Nawaz, Kaleemullah Khan.
Noufal PN is highlighted as a player in form, having registered two assists in four appearances for Mumbai City in the 2026-27 Indian Super League season according to the preview, and is expected to use his wide-play and dribbling to trouble Pakistan’s defenders while working on creating more goal-scoring positions and delivering decisive final-third passes.
The preview also singles out Umar Nawaz as a promising Pakistan prospect who spent time in the youth academies of Wolves and Wrexham and currently plays for Finnish club Kajaanin Haka; the write-up notes he will aim to exploit surprised spaces in the final third but must be efficient with finishing and chance creation to influence the result.
The match on Thursday, 5 November 2026 at the National Stadium, Dhaka, will kick off at 3 PM IST and is confirmed to be available on the VETO app, with additional updates from Khel Now via their social channels and mobile apps.