SAFF U20 Championship 2026: Semi-finals set as India U20 face Bhutan U20
India, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh are all set for the semifinals.
The SAFF U20 Championship 2026 group stage ended with a much-anticipated match between the India U20 men’s team and Bangladesh U20 men’s, which ended in a draw.
With seven nations having been split into two groups from the very first, and now that the group stage is over, the last four are eyeing the SAFF U20 trophy. The Indian team had won four times before, and under Naushad Moosa, they will look for the fifth star.
The semi-final lineup for the SAFF U20 Championship 2026 has been shaped after the group stage, as the matches were very congested. The top two teams from the two groups entered the race in the semifinals of the SAFF U20 Championship.
Nepal and Bhutan topped as the two teams from Group A, as Nepal were the table leaders. On the other hand, India became the leaders after a draw against Bangladesh, who finished second in the group and secured their place for the semis.
India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal are all set to play at the SAFF U20 Championship on Wednesday, April 1st 2026, at the National Football Stadium in Malé.
SAFF U20 Championship 2026 semi-finals fixture
| Match | Teams | Stage | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semifinal 1 | Nepal vs Bangladesh | Semifinal | 1st April,2026 | National Football Stadium, Malé |
| Semifinal 2 | India vs Bhutan | Semifinal | 1st April,2026 | National Football Stadium, Malé |
The tale of Semi-finals
The group stage showcased both dominance and resilience. While some teams advanced with a convincing victory over their opponents. India and Bhutan will take charge against each other after India’s draw in the last group stage match against Bangladesh.
India will face Bhutan on April 1st in the second semifinal at the National Football Stadium, Male. Bhutan finished as runners-up in Group A, as they had a mixed but effective campaign, finishing second with four points. They got a narrow loss against Nepal, who topped Group A.
They are now eyeing the India U20 team in the semifinals to secure their place in the final. On the other hand, the Indian team secured a convincing win against Pakistan, and a late draw against Bangladesh secured them as the leaders of Group B with four points. The Blue Colts will be eager to make a statement against Bhutan as they will be the favourites to win the game.
Nepal, the table toppers from Group A, will lock horns against the Bangladesh U20 team on April 1st, which will be the first semi-final from 16:15 IST.
Nepal has a great outing in the tournament as they topped the group with seven points in hand, and after a stalemate against India, now Bangladesh is looking to secure the win over Nepal in the semis. Both teams showed a strong attacking mentality as Nepal has the consistency to pull the string off. They secured qualification strongly with positive results.
Points table after the group stage
Group A
| Pos | Team Name | P | W | D | L | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nepal U20 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| 2 | Bhutan U20 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 3 | Sri Lanka U20 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 4 | Maldives U20 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
Group B
| Pos | Team Name | P | W | D | L | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India U20 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 2 | Bangladesh U20 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | Pakistan U20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
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Rohit Mistri is a sports journalist from Kolkata with over two years of experience in the field. He has extensively covered Indian football, including major tournaments such as the Calcutta Football League and the Indian Super League. His work spans on-ground reporting, match coverage, and in-depth storytelling, along with interviews of prominent sporting personalities. Rohit brings strong communication skills and a deep passion for sports narratives to everything he writes.