The Maldives national football team has been eliminated from the 2026 SAFF Championship after a 1-0 defeat to India in their final Group B match at the National Stadium in Dhaka.
Suhail Ahmad Bhat converted a 38th-minute penalty for the only goal of the match. India finished the group stage with six points from two matches and will face the runners-up of Group A in the semi-finals on 14 November.
The Maldives finished with zero points after earlier losing 3-0 to Pakistan. India, the defending champions, needed only a draw to progress but took all three points.
Head coach Naushad Moosa made seven changes to the side that defeated Pakistan, yet India controlled possession for much of the game. The decisive penalty was awarded after Abdul Rabeeh was brought down inside the box.
Maldives pressed late but were unable to equalise. Goalkeeper Priyansh Dubey made important saves in the closing stages for India.
The result continues a difficult campaign for the Maldives side in the regional tournament, which is being hosted by Bangladesh.
India will now prepare for the knockout stage while the Maldives return home after two group-stage defeats.
