Bangladesh Begin SAFF Championship as Clear Favourites on Home Ground
The hosts face Bhutan at Dhaka's National Stadium hoping their strengthened squad can deliver a winning start and sustain hopes of lifting the regional trophy.
The South Asian Football Federation Championship returns to Dhaka today, and for the first time in well over a decade the hosts open the tournament carrying the weight of genuine favouritism. Bangladesh will walk out at the National Stadium tonight against Bhutan at 8:00 pm knowing that a large section of the local football public expects them to finally end a 23-year wait for the regional crown.
The last time the championship was staged in the capital, in 2018, the national team arrived after one of their worst international results in recent memory. Expectations stayed low and an early exit barely surprised anyone. This edition feels different. A semi-final appearance in the 2023 edition broke a long drought of deep runs, and the current squad has been noticeably strengthened by the arrival of several overseas-based players. Sheffield United midfielder Hamza Choudhury is the most high-profile of them, but he is not alone. The presence of these diaspora players has raised both the technical level of the squad and the sense that Bangladesh can now compete more consistently within the region.
Captain Topu Barman, speaking on the eve of the tournament, underlined the opportunity in front of the team. He pointed out that the side looks different from previous versions and that the home setting offers a platform they may not get again soon. The message from the camp has been consistent: the players understand the pressure that comes with being labelled favourites, yet they also recognise that the current group of opponents does not contain an obvious dominant side.
Bhutan present a relatively favourable opening assignment. The Himalayan team sit well below Bangladesh in the rankings and have not played a competitive international match since June. Bangladesh have never lost to them on home soil or on neutral ground, giving the hosts a clear statistical edge. Even so, the match still carries weight. With only two group games to play, a slip-up against the lowest-ranked side in the competition would immediately complicate the path to the semi-finals.Recent form provides a cautionary note.
Bangladesh lost all three matches in the FIFA ASEAN Cup, including a heavy 9-2 defeat to Indonesia. Those results exposed both attacking limitations and defensive fragility against stronger opposition. Coach Thomas Dooley has acknowledged the work still required, particularly in converting individual quality into reliable collective performances under tournament pressure. The ASEAN Cup campaign offered limited preparation against higher-level sides, and the coaching staff know that SAFF success will depend on tighter organisation rather than pure talent.
The championship itself gets under way earlier in the day when defending champions India face Pakistan at 3:30 pm. India have selected a second-string squad, while Pakistan arrive with an improved pool of Europe-based players. The fixture carries its usual political and sporting edge, yet most observers still place Bangladesh ahead of both sides in the overall pecking order for the title.
Away from the pitch, the build-up has been quieter than on previous occasions when Dhaka hosted the event. Organisers have not mounted the same level of city-wide promotional activity seen in 2003, 2009 or 2018. Whether that subdued atmosphere helps the home team focus or simply reflects reduced public anticipation remains to be seen once the National Stadium fills for the evening kick-off.
A victory over Bhutan would leave Bangladesh in a strong position heading into their final group match against Sri Lanka. The islanders have strengthened their own squad and cannot be taken lightly. Beyond the group stage, the path to the final will almost certainly run through either India or Pakistan. For a generation of Bangladeshi football supporters, however, the immediate priority is simpler: convert the status of favourites into points on the board and keep alive the chance of ending more than two decades without a SAFF title. Tonight's match against Bhutan is the first test of whether that ambition can be realised.