The Eydhafushi and Kaashidhoo teams will be coming out tonight to play without Ishan Ibrahim (Sattu) and Coach Ali Haisam (Chumpu) respectively to play for the opening Charity Shield match for the Golden Futsal Challenge.

Ishan won the challenge in 2024 at B. Eydhafushi and was also named Best Player. Haisam took part as a player for his native island of B. Hithaadhoo in 2015, the first year of the challenge, and went on to win that year. Haisam also played a crucial role in K. Kaashidhoo's surprise win last year.

Two-time champions Eydhafushi and Kaashidhoo's match will take place tonight at 8:15pm at Hulhumale' Rehendhi Futsal Turf.

Haisam's absence will be supplemented by Ahmed Farrah (Farra), a member of Dhivehi Premier League Odi Sports Clubs' Coaching Team.

The Golden Futsal Challenge, Maldives' most prestigious futsal tournament, is being held this year as the national futsal team is preparing for regional competitions, and so Ishan, Haisam and various other players won't be taking part in this year's Golden Futsal Challenge.

The players are currently undergoing training in China and are preparing for the all new SAFF Futsal Championship this year to be held at Thailand from 13th January to 26th January.

The national futsal team started with a selection of 40 players. National football team coach and Uzbekistan coach Farrukh Zakirov sent 17 players to the training camp after a few deliberative stages. Of these players, 14 players will be chosen for the national squad to play in the SAFF Futsal Championship.

Haisam, who won Best Coach during last year's Golden Futsal Challenge, will be playing for the national team.

Mohamed Fasir (Faattey), Ayaz Ahmed (Aya), Ali Hafiz (Haappe), Samin Mohamed Naseer and Abdulla Naseeh, who played in the Futsal Asian Cup qualifiers last September, were not included in the list of 17 players. Ali Hafiz is currently nursing an injury he sustained during the Asian Cup qualifiers. Fasir and Ayaz are currently playing in the Dhivehi Premier League. Dhivehi Premier League Buru Sports Clubs' Abdulla Junaid (Jeynne, L. Gan) was released in order to attend the national team training regimen.