Maldives has started their preparations for the SAFF Championship.

Maldives under local coach Ali Suzain has started training with a 31 man squad which is expected to be reduced in time for the national team camp early next month.

This is the first time Maldives will feature a Maldivian coach as the head coach (caretaker coach) in the SAFF Championships. The hosts will open their campaign in the first game against Nepal. After the round robin between Maldives, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and India, the top 2 teams will play the final match.

Maldives the current SAFF Champions is hosting the Championship for the first time in history. In 2008, Maldives co-hosted the Championship winning in the finals against hot favourites India.

Photo: Football Association of Maldives