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Sri Lanka coach Abdullah Al Mutairi hopes India will not win the SAFF Championship 2026 after his team was eliminated. Meanwhile, VAR will be used starting from the semifinals.
India at SAFF. (ANI)
Sri Lanka head coach Abdullah Al Mutairi said he wants anyone but India to win the ongoing SAFF Championship 2026 after his team suffered a 0-4 defeat to hosts Bangladesh on Wednesday and exited the tournament.
Defending champions India are chasing a record-extending 10th title with a second-string squad led by Under-23 coach Naushad Moosa. They topped Group B with wins over Pakistan and Maldives and face Bhutan in Saturday’s semifinal. Bangladesh take on Pakistan in the other last-four clash.
“I am tired that India (is) always the champion,” Mutairi said in a video released by Channel 24. “I hope that Bangladesh, Bhutan or Pakistan wins. Nine times is too much,” he added.
Mutairi has made several controversial comments this competition. After his side’s 2-2 draw against Bhutan, he questioned the referees’ integrity and alleged bias.
“So please, if the commercial benefits mean you want India and Bangladesh in the final, just have a competition between those two,” he said. “The others can play off in another window. This time, I am not being direct. Next time, if the referee makes the same mistakes and the atmosphere is the same, just give India and Bangladesh the final. Send the other teams home and save us the time we are wasting,” he alleged.”
Semi-Final to have VAR
The India-Bhutan semifinal at the on Saturday will mark the tournament’s first use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system.
The technology will be deployed remotely, with live match footage transmitted to a centralised operations hub in Thailand. Certified Video Match Officials (VMOs) will review incidents and assist on-field referees in accordance with the IFAB VAR Protocol. The system will also be used for the final on November 17.
SAFF has partnered with the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) to implement the technology, which is being provided by Spain-based FIFA-certified company Quality.
SAFF General Secretary Purushottam Kattel told PTI that the remote arrangement would cost USD 800-900 per match and would be more economical than bringing the equipment to Dhaka.
Technical experts from Quality will be present at the National Stadium to oversee operations, while all referees and assistant referees appointed for the semifinals and final have received VAR training.
India, meanwhile, will start as favourites against Bhutan despite fielding a second-string squad. The defending champions topped Group B with wins over Pakistan (3-2) and Maldives (1-0).
Bhutan finished second in Group A with one point, progressing ahead of Sri Lanka on goal difference. Hosts Bangladesh will face Pakistan in the other semifinal on Saturday.
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Ask News18Following Sri Lanka’s exit from the tournament, head coach Abdullah Al Mutairi expressed frustration that India has already won the title nine times, stating that “nine times is too much” and that he is tired of India always being the champion.
Ask News18November 13, 2026, 9:56 PM IST
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