Malé, Maldives: Maldives is set to face the Philippines in their opening match of the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, which will kick off in March 2025.

The Maldives is placed in Group A alongside the Philippines, Tajikistan, and East Timor.

The campaign will begin with a home clash against the Philippines, also known as the Azkals.

The match will take place at the National Football Stadium in Malé on March 25, 2025, marking the first international game in the Maldives in over a year.

The last international fixture hosted in the country was a FIFA World Cup/Asian Cup joint qualifier against Bangladesh in October 2023.

Maldives AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers Schedule:

25 March 2025 – Maldives vs Philippines (Home)

10 June 2025 – East Timor vs Maldives (Away)

9 October 2025 – Maldives vs Tajikistan (Home)

14 October 2025 – Tajikistan vs Maldives (Away)

18 November 2025 – Philippines vs Maldives (Away)

31 March 2026 – Maldives vs East Timor (Home)

Maldives has faced the Philippines five times previously, with just one win, which came back in 2009. The most recent encounter between the two teams was in 2021 during the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, where they played to a 1-1 draw at a neutral venue.

Tajikistan's national team, coached by Georgian tactician Gela Shekiladze, has a close connection to Maldivian football. Shekiladze previously worked as an assistant coach in the Maldives alongside Petr Segrt, who was the head coach of Tajikistan before Gela.

Together, Segrt and Shekiladze, along with Maldives coach Ahmed Shakir (Shaakitte), played key roles in the Maldives' victory at the 2018 SAFF Championship.

Meanwhile, the Football Association of Maldives (FAM), under the leadership of a FIFA-appointed Normalizing Committee since August, has shared a draft season calendar with clubs, aiming for the football season to begin in late January.

However, clubs indicate that the season is more likely to start in mid-February.