Bangladesh Enter SAFF Without a Warm-Up Match as Tabith Says He Is 'Overconfident' of the Title

Bangladesh will take the field in the SAFF Championship without a preparation match. High ticket prices and a lack of promotion have also raised concerns about crowd attendance in the galleries.

After eight years, the SAFF Championship is again being held on Bangladeshi soil. The biggest football competition in South Asia opens on Thursday, November 5, at the National Stadium in Dhaka. Bangladesh are dreaming of the title after a long 23 years.

Even before the action begins, questions have arisen over preparation, organisation, promotion and ticket prices. Despite that situation, Bangladesh Football Federation president Tabith Awal is highly confident about winning the title.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, November 3, Tabith said they could be called overconfident about the 2026 SAFF event, that they will win the title, and not only win it but win it confidently, so that people watching can see Bangladesh had a winning mentality from day one.

Bangladesh have had no chance to test their strengths and weaknesses before the SAFF. The national team could not play any preparation match. Since losing 9-2 to Indonesia in Jakarta on October 1, the team have not played an international match. Coach Thomas Dooley therefore had no opportunity to check the team's real state of preparation just before the SAFF.

Tabith does not want to make a big issue of the lack of a warm-up match. His argument is that arranging a friendly against a foreign team was difficult outside a FIFA window. But with the domestic league running, the players have stayed in matches. He says every player got to play six matches in the last three rounds of the league.

There is also the problem of unavailable players. Origin player Ronan Sullivan is out through injury. Hamza Chowdhury will also not be available for the first match because of club commitments. The BFF president said these situations were in the plan from the start. With 28 players registered, there is a chance to add others in later matches, he said. Along with Ronan, Mahe Khan has been called into the national team for the first time.

On the opening day, November 5, arch-rivals India and Pakistan meet at 3:30 p.m. At 8 p.m., hosts Bangladesh face Bhutan. In the six-team competition, Bangladesh play in Group A with Bhutan and Sri Lanka. The other group has India, Pakistan and the Maldives. The final will be held on November 17.

Just two days before the tournament begins, the expected excitement around the event is clearly missing in reality. The teams' arrival in Dhaka, promotion and the overall organisation have not created the expected atmosphere among football fans. Tabith himself has expressed disappointment over this. He says the BFF is working to create interest around the national team.

The question of organisational responsibility between the BFF and SAFF has also come into discussion. Tabith's explanation is that the main organiser of the SAFF Championship is the South Asian Football Federation. TV rights, commercial activities, branding and the tournament budget are their responsibility. The BFF is only working as an associate. He also claims the BFF has no cost of its own for hosting the tournament.

The biggest concern is ticket prices. A general gallery ticket has been priced at 1,000 taka. Club house tickets are 4,000 taka, VIP gallery 7,000, red box 8,000 and corporate box 10,000 taka. One day's ticket covers two matches. Slow ticket sales before the tournament have increased the concern.

In this situation, the fear of empty galleries cannot be ruled out. Tabith believes, however, that crowds will rise for Bangladesh's matches and the stadium will not stay empty. He did not want to comment on attendance for the other matches.