Colombo, Sri Lanka: Maldives men’s national football team will tour Sri Lanka in September to play two FIFA-sanctioned international friendlies.

Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) President Jaswer Umar confirmed to The Daily Morning Sports.

Currently ranked 171st in the FIFA World Rankings, the Maldives will face Sri Lanka next month at Colombo’s Racecourse Grounds, Reid Avenue, with matches set for 6 and 9 September.

FFSL President, Umar explained that the fixtures were arranged after plans for a three-nation South Asian Super Cup involving Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Bhutan fell through when Bhutan declined to participate.

The Maldives, who received their first football coaching expertise from Sri Lanka in the 1980s, have since made steady progress in the international arena.

Maldives also known as Red Snappers, now sit 25 places above Sri Lanka in the FIFA standings. Sri Lanka last faced Maldives in Malé in June 2023, where the hosts secured a 1–0 win during the AFC Asian Cup qualifying round.

Sri Lanka last hosted the Maldives four years ago, when the two sides played out an entertaining 4-4 draw in the Four Nations Cup in November 2021.