Margao (Goa), June 5 (IANS) Hosts India and defending champions Bangladesh will lock horns in the final of the SAFF Women’s Championship 2026 at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Margao, Goa, on Saturday, in what promises to be a fitting conclusion to the region’s top football tournament.

For India, the final represents an opportunity to reclaim a title they last won in 2019 and win a record-extending sixth SAFF Women’s Championship trophy. For Bangladesh, it is a chance to complete an unprecedented hat-trick of SAFF Women’s Championship crowns after lifting the trophy in 2022 and 2024.

The two teams have emerged as the region’s dominant forces, making this a meeting that many expected from the moment the tournament began. Yet there is an added layer of intrigue. The sides already met in the group stage, where India delivered a statement performance, defeating Bangladesh 3-0 through goals from Pyari Xaxa, Lynda Kom Serto, and Malavika P.

However, in the pre-match press conference on Friday, India head coach Crispin Chettri insists the group-stage result will count for little when the two sides meet again.

“We can’t compare this match with the group-stage match. It’s a completely different ball game. Bangladesh knows our strengths and weaknesses, and so do we. We have planned accordingly. We will be fielding our strongest team because Bangladesh is a good side. We want to go and win and get this championship back home,” Chettri asserted a day ahead of the match.

History heavily favours India. The Blue Tigresses have won 10 of the 13 meetings between the two nations, drawing one and losing two. For nearly a decade, India dominated the rivalry, recording emphatic victories, including 7-0, 6-0, and 7-1 wins. But the balance shifted dramatically in recent years. Bangladesh stunned India 3-0 in the 2022 SAFF Championship before following it up with a 3-1 victory in 2024. Those results paved the way for back-to-back titles and transformed Bangladesh from challengers into champions.

This final will be the first SAFF Women’s Championship title clash between the two nations since 2016. On that occasion, Bangladesh reached their maiden final only to lose 3-1 to India. 10 years later, they return as defending champions, but will still be underdogs against an Indian side that has not conceded a single goal so far.

The Blue Tigresses arrive at the summit clash with a perfect record. They demolished Maldives 11-0, beat Bangladesh 3-0 in the group stage, and edged Bhutan 1-0 in the semifinal.

Chettri expects a very different Bangladesh side this time around. “It won’t be an easy match for us. Bangladesh will come with a different mindset because they know they have nothing to lose. For us, we have to win. It’s about the attitude and how we approach the game.”

India captain Sangita Basfore echoed the determination within the Indian camp. “We have a final against Bangladesh, and our team is motivated and ready for it. The younger players are doing very well, and the team bonding is very strong. We are only thinking about the final. We have reached the final after many years, and now we are thinking only about lifting the trophy.”

Bangladesh’s route to the final has been far more dramatic. After finishing runners-up to India in Group B, Peter Butler’s side secured their place in the final thanks to a stoppage-time winner from substitute Mst Sagorika in a thrilling 2-1 semifinal victory over Nepal.

Head coach Butler remains unfazed by the earlier defeat to India. “Nothing out of the ordinary when it comes to preparations. We just tried to manage the conditions and circumstances. We have come up with results after overcoming several hurdles and challenges. The girls have shown tremendous character and resilience. It will be a fresh game, and there will be no correlation with the group game that we lost.”

–IANS

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