Shillong, Feb 23: Shillong may end up hosting only one international football match instead of the initially planned two, as Maldives have requested the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to shift their friendly against India to a different venue with better flight connectivity to the Philippines.
India is set to face Bangladesh at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong on March 25, but doubts have emerged over the friendly against Maldives. With the Maldivian team scheduled to play their AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifier opener against the Philippines soon after, their officials have informed AIFF that playing in Shillong would result in a two-day training loss due to limited flight options. As a result, they prefer a venue with more convenient travel connections.
While AIFF has yet to make an official announcement, sources indicate that the match will now be played in Kolkata instead of Shillong.
However, Shillong will still make history by hosting its first-ever senior international football match when India takes on Bangladesh in the AFC qualifier round.
