SAFF Women's Championship: Pakistan pull out of India-hosted football tournament

NEW DELHI: Pakistan’s women’s football team has pulled out of the 2026 SAFF Women’s Championship, hosted by India, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) said on Thursday, as reported by news agency IANS.The South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) had earlier said that all seven member teams would take part in the tournament, "making it one of the premier women’s football events in the region."With Pakistan’s withdrawal, the tournament will now be played with six teams. The event is scheduled at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Margao, Goa, from May 25 to June 6.This will be the second time India hosts the SAFF Women’s Championship after the 2016 edition in Siliguri, where India won their fourth title. It will also be the second SAFF tournament in Goa. The men’s SAFF Championship in 1999 was also held at the same venue, where India beat Bangladesh in the final.After Pakistan’s exit, the remaining six teams — Nepal, India (hosts), Sri Lanka, Bangladesh (defending champions), Bhutan and Maldives — have been placed into two groups following the draw held at the SAFF Secretariat in Dhaka.The withdrawal affects Pakistan women’s football, which had been looking to gain more match experience after facing administrative issues and limited international games in recent years.Pakistan had also pulled out of the men’s junior hockey World Cup held in Tamil Nadu in November last year. They did not send their senior men’s team to the Asia Cup in Rajgir as well.India are the most successful team in the SAFF Women’s Championship, winning five titles in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2019. Bangladesh have won the last two editions in 2022 and 2024.The draw:Group A: Nepal, Sri Lanka, BhutanGroup B: India, Bangladesh, Maldives.