The Indian senior men's team during the recent international window. (Instagram)
\n\nThe All India Football Federation (AIFF) is in a tussle with clubs over releasing players for the SAFF Championship 2026. A crowded November calendar puts the defending champions' title defence in doubt.
\n\nThe tournament is set to be held in Dhaka, Bangladesh, from November 5 to 17. Drawn in Group B, India are scheduled to face arch-rivals Pakistan on November 5. Then, India will face Maldives on November 11 in the group stage. The semifinals will take place on November 14. Meanwhile, the final is scheduled for November 17.
\n\nIndia's opener against Pakistan (November 5) will take place four days before the FIFA international window begins. The window runs from November 9 to 17. Clubs are obliged to release players for national duty during that period. Before the window begins, the AIFF has no binding claim on them, and clubs have been reluctant to release key players early.
\n\nIndia are also set to face New Zealand twice during the same window. According to a source close to the development, those fixtures are a key priority for the AIFF. The source also revealed that the senior men's team's management has…
Original source: https://www.timesnownews.com/sports
