Malaysia (originally set to arrive on the 18th) and Mauritius (on the 19th) were unable to adjust their travel plans on short notice.

As a result, only Group A matches were played in the initial days of the tournament.

[2] By 16 October, the Pakistan Football Federation declared that the tournament would only include Group A, citing Malaysia's withdrawal.

Additionally, Mauritius was slated to participate in exhibition matches against Pakistan and China.

Subsequently, on 20 October, it was announced that Mauritius had decided to cancel its visit altogether.