Sri Lanka eye SAFF 2026 after gritty Asian Cup campaign
But these performances have done little to advance their principal goal of claiming the SAFF Championship 2026, which Colombo will host, with eight teams vying for the title.
Sri Lanka men completed their 2025 season with a rather impressive tally of four wins, four losses and a draw from nine games, and are heading for SAFF Championship 2026 as favourites from the region
“As always, we headed into the match aiming for a win. I cannot say our boys played badly — they fought till the last breath,” a heartbroken Sri Lankan Head Coach Abdullah Al Mutairi told reporters shortly after the game on Tuesday.
When Sri Lanka took on Thailand in the crucial encounter that would determine the future of both teams’ AFC Asian Cup 2027 aspirations, hopes were understandably high among the home supporters who gathered in numbers on 18 November at the Racecourse in Colombo. It was a contest between two teams miles apart in the FIFA Rankings, yet nearly identical in terms of having predominantly professional players.
However, by 6:00 p.m. the result was already sealed, as Sri Lanka suffered a crushing 4-0 loss in what was otherwise a tense battle. Sri Lanka lined up in their usual formation but under the leadership of Claudio Matthias, who replaced the dependable goalkeeper and regular captain Sujan Perera. Perera was forced to withdraw after contracting chickenpox just two days before the match, with Kaveesh Fernando stepping in. The rest of the starting XI featured familiar names: Adawan Rajamohan, Jason Thayaparan, Anujan Rajendram, Zahi Addis, Leon Perera, Geremi Perera, Samuel Durrant, Dillon de Silva and Garrett Kelly.
Head Coach Abdullah Al Mutairi (left) and FSL President Jaswar Umar
“Despite giving it everything, we had to suffer a loss. Winning and losing are part of sport, and I’m proud of the way the boys fought — they never gave up until the last minute,” Al Mutairi said.
After Thailand opened the scoring through midfielder Thanawat Suengchitthawon in the seventh minute, Sri Lanka attempted to retaliate but to no avail. Even after trailing 0-1 at half-time, the hosts looked desperately for breakthroughs, but Thai striker Jude Jacob Soonsup-Bell breached Sri Lanka’s defence in the 65th minute, forcing Coach Al Mutairi into a decisive tactical shift.
“When the second goal went in, we changed the strategy. With less than 30 minutes remaining, we went with seven forwards and asked them to attack,” Al Mutairi explained while justifying his bold decision.
Even in full attacking mode, Sri Lanka failed to break down Thailand’s defensive wall and conceded two more chances — both taken clinically by the visitors. Centre-back Pansa Hemviboon struck in the 77th minute, and Soonsup-Bell added a fourth in the 90th minute, sealing Sri Lanka’s fate and keeping Thailand’s hopes of reaching the AFC Asian Cup 2027 alive.
“I sincerely apologise to all Sri Lankans for the missed opportunity, but I’m proud of my boys. This is not even half of what we have planned, and I’m certain Sri Lanka can reach greater heights in the coming months,” Al Mutairi vowed.
Following Sri Lanka’s defeat on Tuesday, their FIFA Ranking slipped from 193 to 194. Thailand, meanwhile, climbed from 96 to 95. Football Sri Lanka (FSL) President Jaswar Umar, defending Al Mutairi’s tactics, hinted at the possibility of organising several international friendlies before Sri Lanka’s next official match — against Chinese Taipei on 31 March 2026, nearly five months away.
Sri Lanka will then have another gap of more than six weeks before the SAFF Championship 2026, scheduled for May and June at the Racecourse Ground.
“It was the most realistic move to test the bench when trailing 0-2. Whether we lost 1-0 or 4-0, Sri Lanka still missed the chance, but the effort put in by the entire team was incredibly commendable,” Umar stated.
Last week, Umar emphasised that FSL’s primary focus remained the SAFF Championship 2026 — a title Sri Lanka last won 30 years ago, in 1995.
“We have performed beyond expectations. To be honest, the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers were never part of our plans. Our focus was the SAFF Championship 2026 and then beyond. But I must admit, once we entered 2025 with an international friendly, the signs were positive,” he explained.
Sri Lanka have now completed their international fixtures for 2025 with four wins, four losses and a draw, and both Coach Al Mutairi and Umar believe the signs for 2026 are promising.
“Sri Lanka’s real test will begin early in 2026. Our intention is to win every game. The aim is to further improve our FIFA Ranking. Additionally, with domestic competitions ongoing, there is a possibility of a few local players breaking into the national pool,” they added.
In addition to the remaining AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifier against Chinese Taipei, Sri Lanka are set to play seven more internationals through the SAFF Championship 2026. Several international friendlies may also be arranged to test Sri Lanka’s standing during this period.