ISL clubs’ share of India’s SAFF Championship 2026 squad — club-by-club breakdown

India’s squad for the SAFF Championship 2026, to be played in Dhaka, Bangladesh with an opening match against Pakistan on November 5, 2026, includes players drawn from multiple Indian Super League clubs ahead of the tournament’s group-stage opener.

The senior national team spent the September–October international window in three high-profile friendlies against Panama, Brazil and Uruguay, recording a draw with Panama and scoring against Uruguay while conceding 11 goals in that period. With the November international window featuring back-to-back friendlies in New Zealand for a first-string side under Khalid Jamil, Naushad Moosa will lead a second-string Blue Tigers squad — assisted by Bibiano Fernandes — at the SAFF Championship that will feature numerous India U-23 players and a few recently phased-out senior internationals.

Punjab FC supply the largest contingent to Naushad Moosa’s SAFF squad, with seven players called up: Bijoy Varghese, Muhammad Uvais, Ricky Shabong and Nikhil Prabhu (all of whom have featured for the senior team in the last 18 months), U-23 internationals Muhammad Suhail and Manglenthang Kipgen, and Khaiminthang Lhungdim, the Punjab captain who has earned his first senior call-up.

Mohun Bagan have four representatives in the list: Priyansh Dubey, Suhail Ahmad Bhat, Liston Colaco and Abhishek Suryavanshi, while the article notes that the majority of Mohun Bagan players are expected to travel to New Zealand with Khalid Jamil’s first-choice group.

Mumbai City’s inclusion of Farukh Choudhary, Noufal PN and Valpuia — all part of the senior team’s last two camps — and the selection of Nathan Rodrigues, who has logged three minutes of action since the start of last season, was described in the source as a surprise and linked to Khalid Jamil’s assessment of their recent opportunities.

NorthEast United, where Naushad Moosa works as technical director and reserve-team head coach, have three players called up but that number could drop after Louis Macarton sustained an injury in the club’s last match against Bengaluru FC; Mohanraj K and Abdul Rabeeh are the other NorthEast United names included. Bengaluru FC provide two players, Chinglensana Singh Konsham and Suresh Singh Wangjam, both members of India’s 2021 SAFF-winning squad, with the article noting the omission of several youngsters despite strong domestic form.

Kerala Blasters contribute two selections — midfielder Ebindas Yesudasan and goalkeeper Arsh Anwer Shaikh — despite the club’s lengthy fixture gap in October–November; Korou Singh and Vibin Mohanan were left out and Ronney Wilson, who featured in a previous U-23 camp, has been recalled for his performances at left-back. The piece also records that Sporting Club Delhi, Odisha FC and Inter Kashi have no players in the camp; specific names mentioned as omitted include Gogou Hangshing, Mohammed Azhar, Aimen and Rahim Ali, while Prachit was cited as likely unavailable due to injury.

Goalkeepers: Arsh Anwer Shaikh, Mohanraj K, Priyansh Dubey. Defenders: Abdul Rabeeh, Bijoy Varghese, Chinglensana Singh Konsham, Hmingthanmawia Ralte, Khaiminthang Lhungdim, Muhammed Uvais, Nathan Rodrigues, Ronney Kharbudon, Sandip Mandi. Midfielders: Abhishek Suryavanshi, Adison Singh Thokchom, Brison Fernandes, Ebindas Yesudasan, Farukh Choudhary, Macarton Nickson, Manglenthang Kipgen, Nikhil Prabhu, Noufal PN, Ricky John Shabong, Suresh Singh Wangjam. Forwards: Irfan Yadwad, Liston Colaco, Muhammad Suhail, Vishnu PV, Suhail Ahmad Bhat.

India will open their SAFF Championship campaign against Pakistan at 15:00 IST on November 5, 2026 at the National Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh, with Naushad Moosa as head coach of the side and U-15 head coach Bibiano Fernandes serving as his assistant.