South Asian Football Federation

"SAFF" redirects here and is not to be confused with Saudi Arabian Football Federation.

South Asian Football Federation
AbbreviationSAFF
Formation1997 (1997)
TypeSports organization
HeadquartersBanani, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Region served
South Asia
Membership7 member associations
Official language
English
Kazi Salahuddin
Purushottam Kattel
Parent organization
AFC
Websitesaffederation.org

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

History

The SAFF was founded in 1997, with Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. In 2000, they expanded to 7 members, adding Bhutan. Afghanistan joined in 2005, but 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][3]
Kazi Salahuddin 2009–2016[5][3]
Ranjith Rodrigo (acting) 2016[6]
Kazi Salahuddin 2016–present[5][3]

Member associations

Code Association Joined in National team National league
BAN  Bangladesh 1997
(Men, Women)
BHU  Bhutan 2000
(Men, Women)
IND  India 1997
(Men, Women)
MDV  Maldives 1997
(Men, Women)
NEP    Nepal 1997
(Men, Women)
PAK  Pakistan 1997
(Men, Women)
SRI  Sri Lanka 1997
(Men)

Former member

Association Year Note
 Afghanistan 2005–2015 Joined 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 teams

Clubs

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.[7] 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, were not altogether interested in participating.[8]

Sri Lanka was supposed to host the first edition in August 2014.[9]

A new possible start was set for December 2016 but later announced that 2017 would see the first edition.[10][11] This again was changed and announced that 2018 would be the start of the tournament.[12]

In January 2025, SAFF announced three new competitions: SAFF Club Championship, SAFF Women's Club Championship and the SAFF U-23 Championship.[13]

Current title holders

See also: Portal:Current events/Sports, 2025 in association football, 2025 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 Year Champions Details Runners-up Next
Men's national teams
Men's Championship 2023 India  Final  Kuwait 2026
U-23 Championship 2026
U-20 Championship 2025 India  Final  Bangladesh 2026
U-17 Championship 2024 India  Final  Bangladesh 2025
South Asian Games 2019 Nepal    Final  Bhutan 2026
Women's national teams
Women's Championship 2024 Bangladesh  Final  Nepal 2026
U-19 Women's Championship 2024 Bangladesh 
India  		Final No runners-up 2025
U-16 Women's Championship 2024 Bangladesh  Final  India 2025
South Asian Games 2019 India  Final  Nepal 2026
Men's club teams
Men's Club Championship 2026
Women's club teams
Women's Club Championship 2025

Titles by nation

As of 1 June 2025

Nation National team Women's national team Total
SAFF SAG U18/U19/U20 U15/U16/U17 SAFF SAG U18/U19/U20 U15/U16/U17
 India 9 3 4 6 5 3 2 2 34
 Bangladesh 1 2 1 2 2 0 4 2 14
   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
Former member
 Afghanistan† 1 0 0 0 0 1
Invited guest
 Russia†† 1 1
Kuwait 0 0
Lebanon 0 0
Total 14 13 6 9 7 3 6 7 65

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

Medals (1993–2025)

Last Update: 2025 SAFF U-19 Championship

Exclude Football at the South Asian Games and SAFF Club Championship.

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) 		2030






(48) 		2034

(48) 		Total Attempts
 Bangladesh Did not exist Not a FIFA member × • • • • • • • • • • • TBD TBD 0 11
 Bhutan Did not exist Not a FIFA member × × × × • • • TBD TBD 0 3
 India Not a FIFA member •• ‡ × × × × × × × • × • • • • • • • • • TBD TBD 0 11
 Maldives Did not exist Not a FIFA member × × • • • • • • • • TBD TBD 0 8
   Nepal Did not exist Not a FIFA member × × × • • × • • × • • • • • TBD TBD 0 9
 Pakistan Did not exist × × × × × × × × × × × • • • • • • • • • TBD TBD 0 9
 Sri Lanka Did not exist ‡ × × × × × × × × × × • • • • • • • • • TBD TBD 0 9
Former member
 Afghanistan Not a FIFA member 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 GS TBD 5
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.
Team
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)
2026
(TBA)		 Total
 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)
2029
(12) 		Total
 Bangladesh × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × • × • Q TBD 1
 India × × 2nd 3rd 2nd × × × × GS GS GS GS GS • • • • • ••[a] Q TBD 10
 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.[14]
Asian Games Women's football tournament
Team
1990
(6)
1994
(4)
1998
(8)
2002
(6)
2006
(8)
2010
(7)
2014
(11)
2018
(11)
2022
(16)
2026
(TBA)		 Total
 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
Team
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 × ×
Team
1985
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2023
2025 		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) 		2025

(48) 		2026

(48) 		Total
 India • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • R1 • • • TBD 1
AFC U-17 Asian Cup
Team
1985
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2023
2025
2026		 Total
 Bangladesh × GS • • GS • • GS GS × GS GS DQ • • × • • • • TBD 6
 India • • • GS • • GS • • QF GS • GS • GS • GS QF GS • TBD 9
   Nepal • × • • • × × • GS × • GS • • • GS × • • • TBD 3
 Pakistan × × × × • × × • • GS × • • • • • × × • × TBD 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) 		2026

(12) 		Total
 India GS QF GS • • • • • • • • TBD 3
   Nepal • GS • • • • • • • • • TBD 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)
2025
(24)
2026
(24) 		Total
 India • • • • • • GS • • TBD 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) 		2026

(12) 		2027

(12) 		Total
 Bangladesh GS × × × × • GS GS • TBD TBD 3
 India GS × • • • • • • • TBD TBD 1

Rankings

Rankings are calculated by FIFA.

Individual statistics

Top goalscorer in men's football

As of 1 September 2025
Players in bold are active international players.

Top goalscorer in women's football

As of 20 June 2024
Players in bold are active international players.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Afghanistan to play SAFF Championship for the last time in 2015". 26 February 2014. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  2. ^ "News for the month of March 1999". Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d "About US". saffederation.org. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  4. ^ "Ganesh Thapa no longer SAFF president". República Sports. Nepal Republic Media. 2009. Archived from the original on 5 February 2010. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  5. ^ a b "Salahuddin new SAFF president | the Daily Star". 3 October 2009. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
  6. ^ "Rodrigo Replaces Salahuddin as Acting President of SAFF - Daily Sports". 8 January 2016. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  7. ^ "Bangladesh to host inaugural SAFF club championship". Zeenews.india.com. 18 April 2011. Archived from the original on 27 September 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  8. ^ "Salauddin laments India's lack of initiative towards SAFF Club Championship". Goal India. 30 July 2013. Archived from the original on 27 May 2018. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
  9. ^ "First ever South Asian Club Championship to be played in Sri Lanka". SouthAsiaFootball.com. 13 March 2014. Archived from the original on 13 March 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  10. ^ "Ranjith Rodrigo appointed acting President of SAFF". dailynews.lk. Archived from the original on 18 August 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  11. ^ "Bangladesh to host SAFF Suzuki Cup". maldivessoccer.com. 25 August 2016. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  12. ^ "SAFF to hold biennial club tournament from 2018". Dawn. 6 October 2016. Archived from the original on 8 October 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  13. ^ "SAFF Ex. Co meeting approves home or away format for SAFF Championship 2025". saffederation.org. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  14. ^ "Latest update on the AFC Women's Asian Cup India 2022". Asian Football Confederation. 23 January 2022. Archived from the original on 23 January 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  15. ^ "The FIFA World Ranking (Men)". FIFA. 10 July 2025. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
  16. ^ "The FIFA World Ranking (Women)". FIFA. 12 June 2025. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
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