KATHMANDU, Oct 1: The 16th SAFF championship is all set to start in the Maldives from today. The first game of the tournament will be held at the country's national football stadium where Sri lanka and Bangladesh will be playing against each other. 

Nepal will be playing against host nation Maldives in the second game of the tournament at 9.45PM tonight. A total of five countries will be competing against each other at the tournament. Bhutan has decided not to take part in the SAFF tournament due to COVID-19 while Pakistan has not taken part in international football games due to internal disputes. 

The Nepali team has reached the Maldives with a goal to lift the SAFF trophy for the first time. According to head coach of the national football team, Abdullah Al Mutairi, the main goal of the team is to win the SAFF Championship. 

The team representing Nepal at the SAFF Championship comprises goalkeepers Kiran Kuman Limbu (Captain), Dip Karki and Bishal Shrestha. In the defense line are Dinesh Rajbanshi, Ananta Tamang, Gautam Shrestha, Suman Aryal and Rohi Chand. Likewise, Bishal Rai, Sunil Bal, Suraj Jyu Thakuri, Nitin Thapa, Pujan Uparkoti, Tej Tamang, Sujal Shrestha, Santosh Tamang, Ayush Ghlan and Kamal Thapa are the midfielders while Nawayug Shrestha, Manish Dangi, Anjan Bista, Suman Lama and Asish Lama are the strikers. 

 
• 16th_SAFF_Championship
 
• Nepal
 
• Maldives