South Asian 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.
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.
Presidents
*Due to health issues in 2016, Ranjith Rodrigo replaced Salahuddin as acting president for two months.
Member associations
Former member
Competitions
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. 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.
Sri Lanka was supposed to host first edition in August 2014.
A new possible start was set for December 2016 but later announced that 2017 would see the first edition. This again was changed and announced that 2018 would be the start of the tournament. 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).
Current title holders
Titles by nation
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
– Champion
– Runner-up
– Third place
– 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
— 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
AFC Asian Cup
AFC Challenge Cup
AFC Solidarity Cup
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.
Women's
AFC Women's Asian Cup
Asian Games Women's football tournament
Junior
Men's U-20
AFC U-20 Asian Cup
Men's U-17
FIFA U-17 World Cup
AFC U-17 Asian Cup
Women's U-20
AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup
Women's U-17
FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup
AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup
Rankings
Rankings are calculated by FIFA.
Men's National Teams
Last updated: 26 October 2023|
Leading Men's Team:
Women's National Teams
Last updated: 25 August 2023
Leading Women's team:
Individual statistics
Top goalscorer in men's football
By number of goals
By country
Players in bold are active international players.
Top goalscorer in women's football
By number of goals
By country
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
External links
South Asian Football Federation Cup at RSSSF
South Asia Football – SAFF website (archived)
Association football sub-confederations in Asia
Association football governing bodies in Asia
Sport in South Asia
International organisations based in India
Sports organizations established in 1997