Who are the Indian squads for the SAFF men's and women's Futsal Championships?
Synopsis
Excitement is building as India announces its teams for the upcoming SAFF Futsal Championships in Thailand. With both men's and women's teams ready to compete, this marks a significant milestone in Indian futsal history. Fans eagerly await the matches set to unfold in Nonthaburi this January.
Key Takeaways
Both men's and women's futsal teams represent India in Thailand.
Each team includes 14 players.
Head coaches are Reza Kordi and Joshuah Vaz.
Competitions commence on January 13 and 14.
Single round-robin format ensures exciting matches.
New Delhi, Jan 7 (NationPress) The Indian teams for the SAFF Futsal Championship 2026 and the SAFF Women's Futsal Championship 2026 have been officially revealed. Both championships are set to occur concurrently in Nonthaburi, Thailand, later this month.
The Futsal Tigers and Futsal Tigresses, each comprising 14 players, reached Bangkok on Wednesday.
The men's squad, under the guidance of Iranian Reza Kordi, and the women's team, led by Indian Joshuah Vaz, underwent a month-long training camp in Bengaluru before heading to Thailand for the inaugural SAFF futsal tournaments.
The SAFF Futsal Championship is scheduled from January 14 to 26, while the SAFF Women's Futsal Championship will run from January 13 to 25. Both tournaments will adopt a single round-robin format, with the team accumulating the most points declared champions. All seven SAFF member associations are slated to participate in both events.
In the women's tournament, India is set to compete against the Maldives (January 13), Bangladesh (January 15), Nepal (January 17), Pakistan (January 19), Bhutan (January 23), and Sri Lanka (January 25). Meanwhile, the men's team will face Bangladesh (January 14), Nepal (January 18), Maldives (January 20), Bhutan (January 22), Sri Lanka (January 24), and Pakistan (January 26).
Among the men's team, eight players (Mollah, Silva, Lalsangkima, Adhikari, Roluahpuia, Mali, D'souza, and Lalrawngbawla) previously participated in the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Qualifiers last year, where India achieved its first-ever international futsal victory by defeating Mongolia 3-0. In the women's squad, seven players took part in the AFC Women's Futsal Asian Cup 2025 Qualifiers (Tanvi, Achom, Arya, Radhika, Pooja, Ritika, and Khushbu).
India's squad for the SAFF Futsal Championship 2026:
Goalkeepers: Aleef Rahman Mollah, Ozen Vivian Silva.
Fixo: Lalsangkima, Lalsawmpuia.
Ala: Anmol Adhikari, K Roluahpuia, Lalrinzuala H, Nikhil Mali, Seaon D'souza, Vincent Laltluangzela.
Pivot: Hafis AM, Jonathan Lalrawngbawla, Palash Barber, Tijo Job.
Head coach: Reza Kordi
India's squad for the SAFF Women's Futsal Championship 2026:
Goalkeepers: Aiswarya Arumugam, Tanvi Mavani.
Fixo: Achom Degio, Arya More, Jigmet Chunzen, Radhika Patel.
Ala: Aarushi Santhosh, Diti Kanungo, Nishka Parkash, Pooja Gupta, Ritika Singh, Sonali Mondal.
Pivot: Khushbu Saroj, Mithila Ramani.
Head coach: Joshuah Vaz
Indian men's team's fixtures in the SAFF Futsal Championship 2026:
15:30 IST, January 14: India vs Bangladesh.
12:30 IST, January 18: India vs Nepal.
15:30 IST, January 20: Maldives vs India.
18:30 IST, January 22: Bhutan vs India.
18:30 IST, January 24: Sri Lanka vs India.
18:30 IST, January 26: India vs Pakistan.
Indian women's team's fixtures in the SAFF Women's Futsal Championship 2026:
12:30 IST, January 13: Maldives vs India.
12:30 IST, January 15: Bangladesh vs India.
15:30 IST, January 17: India vs Nepal.
18:30 IST, January 19: India vs Pakistan.
18:30 IST, January 23: Bhutan vs India.
15:30 IST, January 25: Sri Lanka vs India.
Venue: Nonthaburi Stadium, Nonthaburi, Thailand.
Point of View
We celebrate the announcement of the Indian futsal teams for the SAFF Championships. This showcases our nation's commitment to developing futsal, a sport gaining traction globally. Both men's and women's teams have the potential to shine, and we stand with them as they represent India in Thailand.
NationPress
21 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the dates for the SAFF Futsal Championships?
The SAFF Futsal Championship will be held from January 14 to 26, while the SAFF Women's Futsal Championship will take place from January 13 to 25.
Where will the championships be held?
Both championships will be hosted at the Nonthaburi Stadium in Nonthaburi, Thailand.
Who are the head coaches for the teams?
The men's team is coached by Reza Kordi, and the women's team is led by Joshuah Vaz.
How many players are in each team?
Each team consists of 14 players.
What format will the competitions follow?
Both tournaments will utilize a single round-robin format, with the top team based on points declared the champion.
