# 2016 SAFF Women's Championship

The 2016 SAFF Women's Championship was the 4th 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). The tournament began in India from 26 December 2016 and went on until 4 January 2017. The country was awarded hosting rights in January 2016. This was the first time India had hosted the SAFF Women's Championship.
The defending champions coming into the tournament were India, who won the three previous tournaments. By the end of the tournament, India emerged as champions again, defeating Bangladesh in the final 3–1.

## Participating teams

Apart from the hosts, India, six other South Asian teams participated in the tournament. On 3 November 2016 it was announced that Pakistan would not participate in the tournament.
| Country | Appearance | Previous best performance | FIFA ranking December 2016 |
| India (Host) | 4th | Champions (2010, 2012, 2014) | 54 |
| Afghanistan | 4th | Semi-finals | n/a |
| Bangladesh | 4th | Semi-finals | 114 |
| Bhutan | 4th | Group-stage | n/a |
| Maldives | 4th | Group-stage | 116 |
| Nepal | 4th | Runners-up | 105 |
| Sri Lanka | 4th | Semi-finals | 115 |

### Squads
## Venue

The Kanchenjunga Stadium in Siliguri, West Bengal served as the host venue for the SAFF Women's Championship.
| Siliguri | Siliguri |
| Kanchenjunga Stadium | Siliguri |
| Capacity: 30,000 | Siliguri |

## Group stage

The group stage draw for the tournament was held on 17 November 2016 at the South Asian Football Federation head office in Dhaka.

### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Nepal | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | +18 | 9 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Maldives | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 12 | −4 | 6 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 3 | Sri Lanka | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | −2 | 3 | |
| 4 | Bhutan | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 13 | −12 | 0 | |

### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Bangladesh | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | +6 | 4 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | India (H) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | +4 | 4 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 3 | Afghanistan | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 11 | −10 | 0 | |

## Knockout stage
### Bracket

| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final |
| 2 January | 2 January |
| Nepal | 1 |
| Nepal | 1 | 4 January | 4 January |
| India | 3 | 4 January | 4 January |
| India | 3 | India | 3 |
| 2 January | 2 January | | India | 3 |
| 2 January | 2 January | Bangladesh | 1 |
| Bangladesh | 6 | Bangladesh | 1 |
| Maldives | 0 | | |

### Semi-finals
## Goalscorers
### 12 goals

* Sabitra Bhandari

### 8 goals

* Sabina Khatun

### 5 goals

* Sirat Jahan Shopna
* Fadhuwa Zahir

### 3 goals

* Sasmita Malik
* Yumnam Kamala Devi

### 2 goals

* Grace Dangmei
* Indumathi Kathiresan
* Aminath Shamila
* Erandi Liyanage

### 1 goal

* Farkhunda Muhtaj
* Nargis Khatun
* Tanka Maya Ghalley
* Sanju Yadav
* Mariyam Rifa
* Sharmila Thapa
* Krishna Khatri
* Manjali Yonjan
* Sapana Lama
* Hira Kumari Bhujel
* Nirmala BK
* Maheshika Kumudini
* Praveena Perera

### 1 own goal

* Rushani Gunawardena (playing against Nepal)