Dhaka SAFF preparations reviewed at coordination meeting

Dhaka is gearing up to host South Asia’s premier football competition, the SAFF Championship, after an eight-year gap, with preparations hitting top gear following a crucial coordination meeting on Tuesday. The tournament, running from 5 to 17 November, will once again bring the region's fiercest football rivalries to the National Stadium.

SAFF General Secretary Purushottam Kattel, Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Competition Committee Chairman Golam Gaus, and other BFF officials met at the BFF house to iron out the final details.

"Today it is a normal coordination meeting with the competition committee of BFF and BFF administration about the preparation for SAFF," Kattel told reporters. "We discussed how we are preparing, what the stadium updates are, and how we are working to ensure that the matches are safe and secure during the SAFF championship."

Fans can purchase tickets online via the 'Tickify' platform starting at 8:00 pm on Thursday. Prices are divided into five categories, starting at 1,000 taka for the general gallery and peaking at 10,000 taka for a corporate box. Other seating options include the club house (4,000 taka), VIP gallery (7,000 taka), and AC box (8,000 taka). Ticket prices for the grand final may be adjusted later.

Addressing fan concerns that the starting price is slightly steep, Kattel clarified that each purchase acts as a day pass. "It is 1,000 taka for two matches, so it is 500 taka each," he said. He also confirmed that SAFF is actively issuing support letters to help travelling foreign fans secure visas. "Our expectation is always a full house, and security-wise, we are preparing under the assumption that it will be a full house."

Gaus acknowledged the financial strain on local supporters but noted the pricing was out of their hands. "This will be a bit of a pressure for the fans, but the ticket issue actually depends on SAFF because they are controlling the tournament this time," he explained, adding that the BFF is primarily in a supporting role.

For the BFF, the immediate focus remains the condition of the pitch and matchday logistics. Detailing Tuesday's agenda, Gaus said: "Basically, the discussion we had was regarding the condition of the pitch, what stage the pitch is at, the matches, tickets, the security system, the inner gates, outer gates, and VIP gates."

He added, "We discussed how guests will enter, and how spectators can smoothly enter the stadium and enjoy good matches. We discussed how we can jointly execute these things and do them beautifully for the spectators; that was the main focus of the discussion."

To accommodate the six nations, practice venues have been secured at the Police ground, BUET ground, the Armed Police Battalion ground in the 300-feet area, and the Kings Arena outer pitch.

When asked if defending champions India would send their main squad, Kattel was direct. "India will come. As this is a tier-one competition, whoever they send, we must assume is their first team."

The six-nation event kicks off on 5 November with hosts Bangladesh placed in Group A alongside Bhutan and Sri Lanka. Group B features India, Pakistan, and the Maldives. Following a round-robin group stage, the top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals on 14 November, leading to the title decider on 17 November.

High-profile guests are expected to grace the stands. According to a BFF official, the Honourable President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is anticipated to attend the opening day, while the Prime Minister Tarique Rahman may be present for the final.