The 2026 SAFF U20 Championship will take place in Maldives from 23 March till 3 April.
The draws for the event were held yesterday, 26 January by the South Asian Football Federation in Bangkok, Thailand during the 2026 SAFF Futsal Championship.
Pakistan were drawn in Group B with 2024 SAFF U20 champions Bangladesh and 2025 SAFF U19 champions India in a three-team group. Group A sees tournament hosts Maldives drawn with Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka.
Pakistan did not take part in 2024’s SAFF U20s nor 2025’s SAFF U19s, having withdrawn at the last minute in 2024 and not signing up for the 2025 edition due to funding and administrative constraints for the PFF.
Pakistan did finish runners-up to India in the 2023 SAFF U19 Championship held in Nepal under head coach Shadab Iftikhar.