# 2019 SAFF Women's Championship

The 2019 SAFF Women's Championship was the 5th edition of the SAFF Women's Championship, the biennial international women's football championship contested by the national teams of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). Initially, scheduled from 17 to 26 December 2018 in Sri Lanka, the competition was rescheduled, as Sri Lanka withdrew as hosts. Afterwards, it was scheduled to be held in 2019 from 12 to 22 March and to be hosted by Nepal.
India is the current champions having defeated Nepal by 3–1 goals on 22 March 2019 in the final.

## Participating teams

Defending champions India and Bangladesh were pitted in Group B and Group A respectively. In Group A, Nepal who finished second in the first three editions of the tournament were drawn with 2016 runners-up Bangladesh, Bhutan and Pakistan and in Group B, along with India, Maldives and Sri Lanka are placed. Afghanistan did not participate in this edition, though they played in the 2016 edition despite changing their sub-confederation from SAFF to CAFF in 2014. Later, Pakistan withdrew from the tournament.
| Country | Appearance | Previous best performance | FIFA ranking Dec 2018 |
| India | 5th | Champions (2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2019) | 62 |
| Nepal (Host) | 5th | Runners-up (2010, 2012, 2014, 2019) | 108 |
| Bangladesh | 5th | Runners-up (2016) | 125 |
| Maldives | 5th | Semi-finals (2016) | 132 |
| Sri Lanka | 5th | Semi-finals (2012, 2014) | n/a |
| Bhutan | 5th | Group stage (2010,2012,2014,2016) | n/a |

## Venue

The Sahid Rangsala in Biratnagar, Province No. 1, Nepal serves as the host venue for the SAFF Women's Championship.
| Biratnagar | Biratnagar |
| Sahid Rangsala | Biratnagar |
| Capacity: 10,000 | Biratnagar |

## Group stage

The group stage draw for the tournament was held on 13 November 2018 at the South Asian Football Federation head office in Dhaka.
* All matches were played at Sahid Rangsala, Biratnagar, Nepal.
* Times listed are UTC+05:45.
Key to colours in group tables :
* Group winners and runners-up advance to the semi-finals

### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Status |
| 1 | Nepal (H) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | +6 | 6 | Qualified for Knockout stage |
| 2 | Bangladesh | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 3 | Qualified for Knockout stage |
| 3 | Bhutan | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | −5 | 0 | |

### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Status |
| 1 | India | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | +11 | 6 | Qualified for Knockout stage |
| 2 | Sri Lanka | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 3 | Qualified for Knockout stage |
| 3 | Maldives | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | −8 | 0 | |

## Knockout stage

* Times listed are UTC+05:45.
| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final |
| 20 March – Biratnagar | 20 March – Biratnagar |
| Nepal | 4 |
| Nepal | 4 | 22 March – Biratnagar | 22 March – Biratnagar |
| Sri Lanka | 0 | 22 March – Biratnagar | 22 March – Biratnagar |
| Sri Lanka | 0 | Nepal | 1 |
| 20 March – Biratnagar | 20 March – Biratnagar | | Nepal | 1 |
| 20 March – Biratnagar | 20 March – Biratnagar | India | 3 |
| India | 4 | India | 3 |
| Bangladesh | 0 | | |

### Semi-finals
## Goalscorers

There were 33 goals scored in 9 matches, for an average of 3.67 goals per match.
4 goals
* Indumathi Kathiresan
* Sabitra Bhandari
3 goals
* Grace Dangmei
2 goals
* Dalima Chhibber
* Sandhiya Ranganathan
* Sanju Yadav
* Nongmaithem Ratanbala Devi
* Manjali Kumari Yonjan
* Chalani Kumari Ekanayake
1 goal
* Mishrat Jahan Moushumi
* Sabina Khatun
* Sangita Basfore
* Manisha
* Anju Tamang
* Niru Thapa
* Anita Basnet
* Rekha Poudel
* Punam Jargha Magar
1 own goal
* Masura Parvin (against Nepal)