India seek strong win against Maldives in SAFF Women’s Championship 2026 opener

PJN Stadium will host the game on 25th May

The Indian women’s national team will be kicking off their SAFF Women’s Championship 2026 campaign when they host Maldives at the PJN Stadium, Goa on Monday (25 May 2026).

The Blue Tigresses are seeking to end a six-year drought of not having won this championship, as they aim for a dominant start against the lowest-ranked side in the competition.

The Stakes

India

The Indian women’s football team last won the SAFF Women’s Championship back in 2019 and having come up short in the last two editions, they’ll be desperate to conquer the title once again in the 2026 edition. Crispin Chettri’s side are still aspiring to regain their momentum after an underwhelming 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup campaign, as they look to start a winning streak at the expense of Maldives.

Crispin will definitely urge his side to play innovative, fast-paced attacking football to torment their opponents and entertain those supporting them.

A commanding, big-score win for the Blue Tigresses will be a perfect statement of intent for their title-winning hopes, but if they somehow drop points against this Maldives side – the capability of the Indian side will definitely come under question.

Maldives

The Maldives national women’s team will be playing their first match of 2026 in the SAFF Women’s Championship, and they are definitely the major underdogs heading into the competition. The Maldives side have never won a SAFF Women’s Championship in their history, and they will need to produce something amazing to be able to get rid of the ‘minnows’ tag for the competition.

The Maldives side will need to maintain a really strong defensive structure, frustrating their opponents by keeping a compact shape to neutralize the movement of their opponents in the final third.

They’ll also need to be smart in converting their chances to be able to pose a few shocks in the competition. Be it a win or a draw, anything positive for Maldives against India will be a massive confidence booster for the players. But a crushing loss in the first game could itself be a major demotivation that ruins their entire campaign.

Team News

Manisha Kalyan is the major absentee for the Blue Tigresses for this match, as she can only join the squad from June 1 (2026) onward.

The Maldives are expected to arrive for the SAFF Women’s Championship with a strong squad.

Head-to-Head Record

Matches Played – 8

India wins – 7

Maldives wins – 0

Draws – 1

Predicted Lineup

India (4-2-3-1)

Panthoi Chanu (GK), Astam Oraon, Juli Kishan, Nirmala Devi, Thoibisana, Sangita Basfore, Sanfida Nongrum, Aveka Singh, Dangmei Grace, Lynda Serto, Pyari Xaxa

Maldives (4-5-1)

Leeza (GK); Hannan, Haneefa, Raveena, Shiuth; Fazia, Rifa, Noora, Adam, Afza; Ibrahim

Players to Watchout

Pyari Xaxa (India)

Pyari Xaxa will be determined to use the SAFF Women’s Championship 2026 as a way of amplifying her goal tally for the Blue Tigresses and climbing up the ladder of the highest scorers for the Indian women’s team. She already has 18 goals at the international level and will be aiming to add more to her tally against this vulnerable Maldives side.

The 29-year-old forward is going to be try to be an unpredictable threat for her opponents, being smart with her link-up play and overall movement in the final third.

However, apart from looking to create the odd chance, Xaxa will also be determined to getting at the end of chances inside the box and finishing them off efficiently to guide the Blue Tigresses to a dominant win.

Aminath Leeza (Maldives)

Maldives captain and goalkeeper Aminath Leeza will be a crucial figure when Maldives take on India in the SAFF Women’s Championship. With India expected to dominate possession and create several scoring opportunities, Leeza’s shot-stopping ability and leadership at the back could prove vital for her side.

Apart from making crucial saves, the experienced custodian will also have the responsibility of organising the defence and commanding her penalty area. If Maldives are to frustrate India and stay competitive in the contest, Leeza’s performance between the sticks could make all the difference.

Did you know?

• The Indian women’s national team have won the SAFF Women’s Championship five times, the most for any team.
• Maldives’ best finish at a SAFF Women’s Championship was by reaching the semi-finals in 2016.
• The Blue Tigresses have won just one of their five matches in all competitions this season.

Broadcast Details

The SAFF Women’s Championship match between India and Maldives will take place on Monday, 25th May (2026) at the PJN Stadium, Goa. The match will kick off at 7:30 PM IST and will be streamed live on FanCode app and website.

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