Nepal have been drawn in the four-team Group ‘A’ of the 12th Saff Championship where it will face off hosts Bangladesh, Pakistan and Bhutan as the biggest football tournament of the region kicks off from September 4 in Dhaka.

The sub-continental power house India, Maldives and Sri Lanka were placed in Group ‘B ‘of the draw held on Wednesday in Dhaka.

The number of participating teams for the 12th Saff got limited to seven teams after the 2013 champions and last edition runners-up Afghanistan switched to Central Asian Football Association (CAFA). Afghanistan had joined Saff in 2005.

Bangladesh were given top seed as hosts in pot one while India were the first team to be placed in other group as the capacity of defending champions. Nepal and Maldives were given second seeding as the third and fourth ranked member associations of the South Asian Football Federation (Saff).

Nepal, yet to test title triumph in the tournament, will open their campaign against Pakistan on September 4. Two days later, they will play against Bhutan before wrapping up the group stage against hosts Bangladesh on September 8. The winners and runners up from both pools will advance into the semi-finals. All matches will be played at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.

Nepal’s best performance so far in the Saff Championship is two semi-final entries. They last made it to the semi-finals at home in 2013 before crashing out 1-0 to eventual champions Afghanistan. In 2011, Nepal faced similar fate after going down to Afghanistan 1-0 in the extra time in New Delhi.

In the wake of match fixing scandal and suspension of four Nepali internationals including captain Sagar Thapa, Nepal had a poor outcome in the last Saff in 2015. The team, under the captaincy of now-retired Anil Gurung lost both of their group stage matches against hosts India and Sri Lanka and returned home without opening account in the points table.

Defending champions India are the record seven time winners and three-time runners up of the tournament. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Malidves and Sri Lanka have won one title each.