Bangladesh The First Test For India In SAFF Futsal Championship
The Indian men's team will face Bangladesh in their first match of the SAFF Futsal Championship in Nonthaburi, Thailand
The Indian men's team will face Bangladesh in their first match of the SAFF Futsal Championship in Nonthaburi, Thailand on Wednesday. At the pre-tournament press conference on Monday, India head coach Reza Kordi, who took charge of the team during the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Qualifiers in September last year, said the focus is firmly on competitiveness and long-term growth. "Our main objective is to be competitive in every match, show clear progress in our playing style, and establish India as a strong emerging team in South Asian futsal," he said, outlining the team's broader vision for the inaugural edition of the SAFF Futsal Championship.
Kordi, who hails from Iran, also highlighted the work put in behind the scenes, thanking the organisers and detailing India's build-up.
"First of all, I would like to appreciate SAFF and the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) for being wonderful hosts. As far as our team is concerned, we started our preparations around a month ago in Bengaluru.
"We came here a week before our first match and played two friendly games. I think tactically, physically, and mentally, our players are ready for the competition."
After Bangladesh, India will face Nepal (January 18), Maldives (January 20), Bhutan (January 22), Sri Lanka (January 24), and Pakistan (January 26), all at the Nonthaburi Stadium in Thailand.
All set for our debut in the SAFF Futsal Championship
— Indian Football (@IndianFootball) January 12, 2026
#FutsalTigers head coach Reza Kordi: “If I compare with the Asian Cup qualifiers, the team is more organised tactically and better physically prepared too."
Captain Nikhil Mali: "We had a great camp back home in… pic.twitter.com/QzeadINXvv
The table-toppers at the end of all seven rounds of matches will be crowned the first-ever SAFF men's futsal champions.
In September, the Futsal Tigers created history by bagging their first international victory (3-0 vs Mongolia).
Eight players (Aleef Rahman Mollah, Ozen Silva, Lalsangkima, Anmol Adhikari, K Roluahpuia, Nikhil Mali, Seaon D'Souza, and Jonathan Lalrawngbawla) from the Asian Cup qualifiers have been selected for the SAFF Championship.
"If I want to compare with the Asian Cup qualifiers, the team is more organised tactically and better physically prepared too. The players now have a better understanding of the demands of futsal," said the coach.
India