South Asian Football Federation

"SAFF" redirects here. Not to be confused with Saudi Arabian Football Federation.

South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) is an association of the football playing nations in South Asia which is the regional subsidiary of South Asian Football Confederation, incorporated in 1997. The members of the association are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

South Asian Football Federation

Logo of South Asian Football Federation (SAFF)
Location of members in Asia
Abbreviation	SAFF
Formation	1997; 26 years ago (1997)
Type	Sports organization
Headquarters	Banani, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Region served	South Asia
Membership	7 member associations
Official language	English
President	Kazi Salahuddin
General Secretary	Anwarul Haq Helal
Parent organization	AFC
Website	saffederation.org

History

The SAFF was founded in 1997, with Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. In 2000, they expanded to 7 members, adding Bhutan. In 2005, Afghanistan joined too, but later, left in 2015, to join then newly formed Central Asian Football Association.^[1]

Presidents

President	Years
P. P. Lakshmanan	1997–2001^[2]^[3]
Ganesh Thapa	2001–2009^[4]^[5]
Kazi Salahuddin	2009–2016^[6]^[7]
Ranjith Rodrigo*	2016–2016
Kazi Salahuddin	2016–present^[6]^[8]

*Due to health issues in 2016,   Ranjith Rodrigo replaced Salahuddin as acting president for two months.^[9]

Member associations

FIFA Code	Association	Founded	SAFF affiliation	Top tier league (men's)	Top tier league (women's)	National team
BAN	Bangladesh	1972	1997	Bangladesh Premier League	Bangladesh Women's Football League	Men's U23 U20 U17 U15 F BS Women's W U20 W U17
BHU	Bhutan	1983	2000	Bhutan Premier League	Women's National League	Men's U23 U20 U17 U15 F BS Women's W U20 W U17
IND	India	1937	1997	Indian Super League	Indian Women's League	Men's U23 U20 U17 U15 F BS Women's W U20 W U17
MDV	Maldives	1982	1997	Dhivehi Premier League		Men's U23 U20 U17 U15 F BS Women's W U20 W U17
NEP	Nepal	1951	1997	Martyr's Memorial A-Division League	National Women's league	Men's U23 U20 U17 U15 F BS Women's W U20 W U17
PAK	Pakistan	1947	1997	Pakistan Premier League	National Women Football Championship	Men's U23 U20 U17 U15 F BS Women's W U20 W U17
SRI	Sri Lanka	1939	1997	Sri Lanka Super League		Men's U23 U20 U17 U15 F BS Women's W U20 W U17

Former member

Association	SAFF membership duration	Notes
Afghanistan	2005–2015	Afghanistan joined SAFF in 2005, later left in 2015 to become a founding member of Central Asian Football Association (CAFA).

Competitions

See also: List of association football competitions and FIFA International Match Calendar

The South Asian Football Federation runs several competitions on subcontinental level.

National team

Men's SAFF Championship South Asian Games Men's football tournament SAFF U-20 Championship SAFF U-17 Championship

Women's SAFF Women's Championship South Asian Games Women's football tournament SAFF U-20 Women's Championship SAFF U-17 Women's Championship

Club

The South Asian Football Federation announced in April 2011 that they had decided to start a new tournament for association football club sides, the SAFF Club Championship, with the inaugural edition to be held in Bangladesh from 1–15 September of the same year.^[10] The competition was postponed and desires to revive the competition were again announced in July 2013 but the competition has still not started with accusations that India, the prime nation in the competition, are not altogether interested in participating.^[11]

Sri Lanka was supposed to host first edition in August 2014.^[12]

A new possible start was set for December 2016 but later announced that 2017 would see the first edition.^[13][14] This again was changed and announced that 2018 would be the start of the tournament.^[15] But the Club Championship was never a reality and only remained as a plan on paper.

The 2024 SAFF Club Championship will be the inaugural edition of the SAFF Club Championship, the biennial international men's club football championship of South Asia organised by South Asian Football Federation (SAFF).^[16]

Current title holders

See also: Portal:Current events/Sports, 2023 in association football, 2023 in sports, and FIFA International Match Calendar

For events postponed or cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, see Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports.

Competition		Latest Edition	Champions	Title	Runners-up		Next edition	Probable dates
Competitions (men's)
Men's C'ship		2023	India	9th	Kuwait		TBD	TBD
South Asian Games (Men's)		2019	Nepal	4th	Bhutan		2024	March 2024
U-18/U-19/U-20 Men's C'ship		2022	India	3rd	Pakistan		TBD	TBD
U-15/U-16/U-17 Men's C'ship		2023	India	5th	Bangladesh		TBD	TBD
Competitions (women's)
Women's C'ship		2022	Bangladesh	1st	Nepal		TBD	TBD
South Asian Games (Women's)		2019	India	3rd	Nepal		2024	March 2024
U-18/U-19/U-20 Women's C'ship		2023	Bangladesh	3rd	Nepal		TBD	TBD
U-15/U-17 Women's C'ship		2023	Russia	1st	Bangladesh		TBD	TBD
International club competition (men's)
SAFF Club C'ship		2024	TBD	1st	TBD		TBD	TBD

Titles by nation

Nation	National team (men's)				National team (women)				Total
	SAFF	SAG	U18/U19/U20	U15/U16/U17	SAFF	SAG	U18/U19/U20	U15/U16/U17
India	9	3	3	5	5	3	1	2	31
Bangladesh	1	2	0	2	1	0	2	1	9
Nepal	0	4	2	0	0	0	0	2	8
Pakistan	0	4	0	1	0	0	0	0	5
Maldives	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
Sri Lanka	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Bhutan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Former member
Afghanistan†	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
invited guest
Russia††	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Total	14	13	5	8	6	3	3	6	58

Note: (†) Member from 2005 till 2015 , (††) The Russian Under-17 team was invited to the Under-17 tournament

SAFF teams at continental and global tournaments

Legend

•  1st  – Champion
•  2nd  – Runner-up
•  3rd  – Third place
•  4th  – Fourth place
• QF – Quarterfinals
• R16 – Round of 16
• GS – Group stage
• 1S – First knockout stage
•  •  — Did not qualify
•  ••  — Qualified but withdrew
•  ×  — Did not enter / withdrawn / banned / disqualified
• ‡ — Tournament was unavailable for the nation that year
•     — Hosts

For each tournament, the flag of the host country and the number of teams in each finals tournament (in brackets) are shown.

Senior

Men's

FIFA World Cup

Main article: National team appearances in the FIFA World Cup

See also: Asian nations at the FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup record
Team	1930   (13)	1934   (16)	1938   (15)	1950   (13)	1954   (16)	1958   (16)	1962   (16)	1966   (16)	1970   (16)	1974   (16)	1978   (16)	1982   (24)	1986   (24)	1990   (24)	1994   (24)	1998   (32)	2002     (32)	2006   (32)	2010   (32)	2014   (32)	2018   (32)	2022   (32)	2026       (48)	Years	Attempts
Bangladesh	did not exist									×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	TBD	0	10
Bhutan	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	TBD	0	2
India	did not exist			••	‡	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	TBD	0	10
Maldives	did not exist							×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	TBD	0	7
Nepal	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	×	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	TBD	0	8
Pakistan	did not exist			×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	TBD	0	8
Sri Lanka	did not exist			‡	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	×	0	8
Former member
Afghanistan	Not member of FIFA			Not a SAFF member														•	•	•	Not a SAFF member			0	3

AFC Asian Cup

Team	1956 (4)	1960 (4)	1964 (4)	1968 (5)	1972 (6)	1976 (6)	1980 (10)	1984 (10)	1988 (10)	1992 (8)	1996 (12)	2000 (12)	2004 (16)	2007 (16)	2011 (16)	2015 (16)	2019 (24)	2023 (24)	2027 (24)	Total
Bangladesh	Part of   Pakistan				×	×	GS	•	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	TBD	1
India	×	•	2nd	•	×	×	×	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	GS	Q	TBD	5

AFC Challenge Cup Teams   2006 (16)   2008 (8)   2010 (8)   2012 (8)   2014 (8) Total   Bangladesh QF • GS • • 2   Bhutan GS • • • • 1   India QF 1st GS GS • 4   Maldives ‡ ‡ • GS 3rd 2     Nepal SF GS • GS • 3   Pakistan GS • • • • 1   Sri Lanka 2nd GS GS • • 3 Former member   Afghanistan GS GS × • 4th 3

AFC Solidarity Cup Teams   2016 (7) Total   Bangladesh × 0   Bhutan ‡ 0     Nepal 1st 1   Pakistan × 0   Sri Lanka GS 1

Asian Games men's football tournament

Football at the Asian Games was a senior tournament until 1998.

Football at the Asian Games has been an under-23 tournament since 2002.

Nation	1951 (6)	1954 (12)	1958 (14)	1962 (8)	1966 (11)	1970 (10)	1974 (15)	1978 (14)	1982 (16)	1986 (18)	1990 (14)	1994 (19)	1998 (23)	2002 (24)	2006 (28)	2010 (24)	2014 (29)	2018 (25)	2022 (23)	Years
Bangladesh	did not exist							13th	12th	14th	13th		DQ	20th	24th	24th	20th	15th	20th	10
India	1st	8th	4th	1st	8th	3rd	13th	8th	6th	16th	DQ	DQ	16th	10th	14th	14th	26th		9th	16
Maldives	did not exist												20th	22nd	20th	17th	21st			5
Nepal									16th	18th		18th	17th				29th	22nd		6
Pakistan		6th	9th				11th			17th	14th			23rd	21st	22nd	24th	17th		10
Former member
Afghanistan	Not a SAFF member																25th	Not a SAFF member		1

Women's

AFC Women's Asian Cup

Team	1975 (6)	1977 (6)	1980 (6)	1981 (8)	1983 (6)	1986 (7)	1989 (8)	1991 (9)	1993 (8)	1995 (11)	1997 (11)	1999 (15)	2001 (14)	2003 (14)	2006 (9)	2008 (8)	2010 (8)	2014 (8)	2018 (8)	2022 (12)	2026 (12)	Total
India	×	×	2nd	3rd	2nd	×	×	×	×	GS	GS	GS	GS	GS	•	•	•	•	•	••^[a]	TBD	9
Nepal	×	×	×	×	×	GS	GS	×	×	×	×	GS	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	TBD	3

1. India failed to name the required 13 players and were unable to play their match of the group stage against Chinese Taipei due to them having only fewer than 13 players left with the remaining team members testing positive for COVID-19. They were considered to have withdrawn from the competition, and all previous matches played by them were considered "null and void" and would not be considered in determining the final group rankings.^[17]

Asian Games Women's football tournament

Nation	1990 (6)	1994 (4)	1998 (8)	2002 (6)	2006 (8)	2010 (7)	2014 (11)	2018 (11)	2022 (16)	Years
Bangladesh									12th	1
India			8th				9th		13th	3
Maldives					DQ		11th	10th		2
Nepal									11th	1

Junior

Men's U-20

AFC U-20 Asian Cup

Nation	1959	1960	1961	1962	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1980	1982
Bangladesh	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	GS	×	GS	GS	5th	×
India	×	×	×	×	GS	GS	GS	QF	QF	GS	×	×	QF	GS	GS	1st	GS	GS	QF	GS	•	•
Nepal	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	GS	GS	×	GS	×	×	×	×	•	•
Pakistan	×	×	×	GS	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	GS	×	×	×	×	×	×	•
Sri Lanka	8th	×	GS	×	GS	×	×	GS	QF	×	GS	GS	×	×	×	×	×	GS	×	GS	×	×

Nation	1985	1986	1988	1990	1992	1994	1996	1998	2000	2002	2004	2006	2008	2010	2012	2014	2016	2018	2023	Total
Bangladesh	•	×	•	•	•	×	GS	•	•	GS	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	6
India	•	GS	×	GS	GS	×	GS	GS	•	QF	GS	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	22
Nepal	×	•	×	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	4
Pakistan	•	•	•	•	•	×	•	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	×	×	×	×	3
Sri Lanka	×	GS	×	•	×	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	×	•	×	×	•	•	•	10

Men's U-17

FIFA U-17 World Cup

Team	1985   (16)	1987   (16)	1989   (16)	1991   (16)	1993   (16)	1995   (16)	1997   (16)	1999   (16)	2001   (16)	2003   (16)	2005   (16)	2007   (24)	2009   (24)	2011   (24)	2013   (24)	2015   (24)	2017   (24)	2019   (24)	2023   (24)	Total
India	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	R1	•	•	1

AFC U-17 Asian Cup

Nation	1985	1986	1988	1990	1992	1994	1996	1998	2000	2002	2004	2006	2008	2010	2012	2014	2016	2018	2023	Total
Bangladesh	×	GS	•	•	GS	•	•	GS	GS	×	GS	GS	DQ	•	•	×	•	•	•	6
India	•	•	•	GS	•	•	GS	•	•	QF	GS	•	GS	•	GS	•	GS	QF	GS	9
Nepal	•	×	•	•	•	×	×	•	GS	×	•	GS	•	•	•	GS	×	•	•	3
Pakistan	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	•	•	GS	×	•	•	•	•	•	×	×	•	1

Women's U-20

AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup

Team	2002   (12)	2004   (15)	2006   (8)	2007   (8)	2009   (8)	2011   (6)	2013   (6)	2015   (8)	2017   (8)	2019   (8)	2024   (8)	Total
India	GS	QF	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	3
Nepal	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	1

Women's U-17

FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup

Team	2008 (16)	2010 (16)	2012 (16)	2014 (16)	2016 (16)	2018 (16)	2022 (16)	2024 (16)	Total
India	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	1

AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup

Team	2005   (11)	2007   (6)	2009   (8)	2011   (6)	2013   (12)	2015   (8)	2017   (8)	2019   (8)	2024   (8)	Total
Bangladesh	GS	×	×	×	×	•	GS	GS		3
India	GS	×	•	•	•	•	•	•		1

Rankings

Rankings are calculated by FIFA.

Men's National Teams AFC FIFA Country Points +/− Highest Lowest 18 102   India 1198.84   94 173 34 161   Maldives 1003.48   124 183 35 173     Nepal 963.82   124 196 37 182   Bhutan 913.02   159 209 38 183   Bangladesh 894.23   110 197 43 193   Pakistan 864.84   141 205 45 202   Sri Lanka 822.03   122 207 Last updated: 26 October 2023|^[18]

Leading Men's Team:

Women's National Teams AFC FIFA Country Points +/− Highest Lowest 11 61   India 1413.52   49 63 19 101     Nepal 1199.88   92 128 29 142   Bangladesh 1054.55   110 147 31 153   Sri Lanka 955.21   101 155 33 157   Pakistan 944.58   106 161 35 160   Maldives 938.55   91 160 37 169   Bhutan 841.86   113 178 Last updated: 25 August 2023^[19]

Leading Women's team:

Individual statistics

Top goalscorer in men's football

As of 1 July 2023

By number of goals (Players with at least 20 goals) # Name Career Goals Caps Avg/Game 1   Sunil Chhetri (list) 2005–present 92 142 0.65 2   Ali Ashfaq (list) 2003–present 57 90 0.63 3   Inivalappil Mani Vijayan (list) 1992–2004 29 70 0.41 4   Kasun Jayasuriya (list) 2000–2009 27 55 0.49   Baichung Bhutia (list) 1995–2011 82 0.33 6   Jeje Lalpekhlua (list) 2009–2019 23 54 0.41   Shabbir Ali 1974–1984 66 0.35

By country (only highest goalscorers from each country) # Name Career Goals Caps Avg/Game 1   Sunil Chhetri (list) 2005-present 92 140 0.66 2   Ali Ashfaq (list) 2003–present 57 90 0.63 3   Kasun Jayasuriya (list) 2000–2009 27 55 0.49 4   Ashraf Uddin Ahmed Chunnu (list) 1975–1985 17 50 0.34 5   Nirajan Rayamajhi (list) 2002–2010 12 19 0.63 6   Chencho Gyeltshen (list) 2011–present 12 41 0.29 7   Muhammad Essa (list) 2000–2009 11 37 0.3

Players in bold are active international players.

Top goalscorer in women's football

As of 20 August 2022

By number of goals (Players with at least 30 goals) # Name Career Goals Caps Avg/Game 1   Bala Devi 2010–present 52 58 0.9 2   Sasmita Malik 2007–2017 40 38 1.05 3   Sabitra Bhandari 2014–present 38 34 1.12 4   Sabina Khatun 2009–present 31 46 0.67

By country (only highest goalscorers from each country) # Name Career Goals Caps Avg/Game 1   Bala Devi 2010–present 52 58 0.9 2   Sabitra Bhandari 2014–present 38 34 1.12 3   Sabina Khatun 2009–present 31 46 0.67

Players in bold are active international players.

See also

• Asian Football Confederation (AFC)
• ASEAN Football Federation (AFF)
• East Asian Football Federation (EAFF)
• Central Asian Football Association (CAFA)
• West Asian Football Federation (WAFF)
• ECO Cup

References

1. "Afghanistan to play SAFF Championship for the last time in 2015". 26 February 2014. from the original on 9 May 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
2. "News for the month of March 1999". from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
3. "About US". saffederation.org. from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
4. . República Sports. Nepal Republic Media. 2009. Archived from the original on 5 February 2010. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
5. "About US". saffederation.org. from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
6. "Salahuddin new SAFF president | the Daily Star". 3 October 2009. from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
7. "About US". saffederation.org. from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
8. "About US". saffederation.org. from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
9. "Archived copy". from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
10. "Bangladesh to host inaugural SAFF club championship". Zeenews.india.com. 18 April 2011. from the original on 27 September 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
11. "Salauddin laments India's lack of initiative towards SAFF Club Championship". Goal India. 30 July 2013. from the original on 27 May 2018. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
12. . SouthAsiaFootball.com. 13 March 2014. Archived from the original on 13 March 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
13. "Ranjith Rodrigo appointed acting President of SAFF". dailynews.lk. from the original on 18 August 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
14. . maldivessoccer.com. 25 August 2016. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
15. "SAFF to hold biennial club tournament from 2018". Dawn. 6 October 2016. from the original on 8 October 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
16. Reporter, The Newspaper's Sports (7 May 2023). "SAFF announces start of club championship from next year". DAWN.COM. from the original on 24 May 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
17. "Latest update on the AFC Women's Asian Cup India 2022". Asian Football Confederation. 23 January 2022. from the original on 23 January 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
18. "The FIFA World Ranking (Men)". FIFA. 26 October 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
19. "The FIFA World Ranking (Women)". FIFA. 25 August 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

External links

• South Asian Football Federation Cup at RSSSF
• – SAFF website (archived)