New Delhi

The India women's national football team has been placed in Group B alongside Bangladesh women's national football team and Maldives women's national football team for the SAFF Women's Championship 2026, scheduled to be held in Margao from May 25 to June 6.

Group A comprises Nepal women's national football team, Sri Lanka women's national football team and Bhutan women's national football team. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semifinals.

The draw was conducted at the SAFF Secretariat in Dhaka on Wednesday. Pakistan women's national football team has opted not to participate.

This will be the second time India hosts the tournament after the 2016 edition in Siliguri, where India won its fourth title. It is also the second time Goa will host a SAFF tournament, after staging the men’s championship in 1999 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

India are the record five-time champions of the tournament, winning in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2019. Bangladesh women's national football team are the defending champions, having won the last two editions in 2022 and 2024.

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According to the All India Football Federation, the draw seeding was based on the latest FIFA Women’s World Rankings released on April 21. India were ranked 69th, Nepal 87th, Bangladesh 112th, Sri Lanka 162nd, Bhutan 164th and Maldives 167th.