Pakistan have reached the semi-finals of the SAFF Championship 2026 after India's 1-0 win over Maldives in Dhaka on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, confirmed the Green Shirts in second place in Group B. India topped the group with six points, Pakistan finished second with three, and Maldives bowed out of the tournament without a win. ## How Pakistan qualified Pakistan started their campaign with a narrow 3-2 defeat to arch-rivals India, then bounced back with a 3-0 win over Maldives on 8 November at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka. That left their fate resting on the final Group B match between India and Maldives. Pakistan needed India to win, and the defending champions delivered: Suhail Bhat scored the only goal from the penalty spot in the first half, and goalkeeper Priyansh Dubey held on to the clean sheet despite late pressure from Maldives. Local coverage described the achievement as Pakistan's first SAFF semi-final in eight years. ## Semi-final on 14 November Pakistan will play their semi-final on Saturday, 14 November 2026, against the winners of Group A. Their opponents will be either Sri Lanka or hosts Bangladesh, depending on the result of the final Group A match played on Wednesday evening in Dhaka. Pakistan have also received a boost for the knockout stage, with five diaspora players joining the squad in Bangladesh: Abdullah Iqbal, Easah Suliman, Adil Nabi, Ali Akbar Khan and Abdul Samad. The five were unavailable for the group stage because it was held outside the designated FIFA window, but they are now available for selection. Sources: [Geo Super](https://www.geosuper.tv/latest/61202-pakistan-qualify-for-saff-championship-2026-semi-finals) and [The Daily Jagran](https://www.thedailyjagran.com/sports/news/india-vs-maldives-live-score-saff-cup-2026-ind-mdv-football-match-latest-updates-suhail-ahmad-bhat-nassah-nasir-10335913).