National Football Team begins training
Under the guidance of national team coach Ali Suzain, the team has started its training sessions, with only some players participating in the training at present.
Maldives National Football Team training at the Galolhu Stadium
The senior national football team of Maldives has begun its training sessions.
As the national team has officially started its training, the team is currently preparing for the international friendly match scheduled for March and the Asian Cup Qualification matches starting this month as well. The international friendly match is a game played by the national team in preparation for the Asian Cup Qualification.
Under the guidance of national team coach Ali Suzain, the team has started its training sessions, with only some players participating in the training at present.
The national football team last played a match in November 2024. The Maldives played two friendly matches against Bangladesh, winning the first match. However, Bangladesh defeated the Maldives in the second match.
Currently, while the world's main football governing body Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has normalized the Maldives, and with little time left for the matches, Football Association of Maldives (FAM) has decided to proceed with the national team under Suzain’s instructions.
Suzain was also the last coach to guide the Maldives national team. Since August 2023, Suzain has been providing guidance to the national team. This was after the contract of Francesco Moriero, who was the national team coach at the time, expired and FAM decided to let him go. At that time, Suzain was the assistant coach of the national team.
The Maldives national team will face neighboring India in an international friendly match on March 19. The match will be held in Shillong, India.
After that, on March 25, the Maldives will play against the Philippines in the Asian Cup Qualification. The second match will be against East Timor on June 10. In the third match, they will face Tajikistan on October 9.
On October 14, they will play against Tajikistan in the second leg. After that, on November 18, they will play against the Philippines in the second leg, and the final match, the second leg against East Timor, is scheduled for 31 March 2026.
