The South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship is set to take place in Bengaluru, India from June 21 to July 4.
There was much curiosity as to whether Pakistan will be allowed to participate in the tournament in India, considering the political tension between the two countries.
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However, All India Football Federation secretary Shaji Prabhakaran stated that India has allowed Pakistan to participate in the tournament, and now it's up to their Pakistan counterparts to complete all formalities.
"Yes, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs and Sports Ministry all have cleared (Pakistan’s participation)," said Prabhakaran.
If Pakistan visits India for the tournament, it will be the first time the two countries will face another since 2018. Five years ago, India won the game 3-1 in the SAFF Championship semi-final.
Which teams will participate in the SAFF Championship 2023?
Apart from host nation India, and Pakistan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Maldives are the other participating countries.