Bangladesh face India in SAFF U-20 Championship final tonight

Bangladesh are set to take on arch-rivals India in the final of the SAFF U-20 Championship on Friday night (April 3) in Maldives, with kickoff scheduled for 9:00pm.

The two sides previously met in the group stage, where the match ended in a 1-1 draw.

However, there will be no room for stalemate in the final, as Bangladesh aim to secure victory within regulation time and clinch their second consecutive title.

Both teams have shown strong form en route to the final. Bangladesh booked their place with a narrow 1-0 win over Nepal in the semifinal. India, on the other hand, delivered a dominant performance, thrashing Bhutan 5-0 in their last-four clash.

Historically, Bangladesh have reached five age-level finals but lifted the trophy only once. Notably, they have faced India three times in such finals—in 2019, 2022 and 2025—and suffered defeat on each occasion. Their lone triumph came in 2024, when they defeated Nepal to win the U-20 SAFF title.

Ahead of the final, the Bangladesh squad completed their final training session on Thursday, gearing up for a crucial showdown.