South Asian Football Federation (SAFF), founded in 1997, is an association of the
football playing nations in
South Asia
South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical
Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth descr ...
and is part of the larger
Asian Football Confederation
The Asian Football Confederation is the governing body of association football, beach soccer, and futsal in some countries/territories in Asia and Oceania. It has 47 member countries most of which are located in Asia. Australia, formerly i ...
. The members of the association are
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
,
Bhutan
Bhutan (; dz, འབྲུག་ཡུལ་, Druk Yul ), officially the Kingdom of Bhutan,), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is situated in the Eastern Himalayas, between China in the north and India in the south. A mountainou ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
,
Maldives
Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...
,
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, :ne:नेपाल, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in S ...
,
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
and
Sri Lanka.
History
The SAFF was founded in 1997, with
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
,
the Maldives
Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...
,
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, :ne:नेपाल, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in S ...
,
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
, and
Sri Lanka. In 2000, they expanded to 7 members, adding
Bhutan
Bhutan (; dz, འབྲུག་ཡུལ་, Druk Yul ), officially the Kingdom of Bhutan,), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is situated in the Eastern Himalayas, between China in the north and India in the south. A mountainou ...
. In 2005,
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
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
The SAFF U-18/U-19/U-20 Championship is a biennial football championship for male footballers under the age of 20 and is organized by the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). The championship was held for the first time in August 2015 in Nepal. ...
*
SAFF U-17 Championship
The SAFF U-15/U-16/U-17 Championship is an annual international football competition contested by the national teams of the members of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). The first edition was held as ''SAFF U-16 Championship'', where most ...
Women's
*
SAFF Women's Championship
*
South Asian Games Women's football tournament
*
SAFF U-18 Women's Championship
The SAFF U-18/U-19/U-20 Women's Championship is a biennial international association football tournament for women's national football teams under the age of 18/19/20, governed by the South Asian Football Federation, South Asian Football Federati ...
*
SAFF U-15 Women's Championship
The SAFF U-15/U-17 Women's Championship is association football tournament for women's national teams under the age of 15. The tournament is organized by South Asian Football Federation (SAFF).
History
The tournament began in 2017 and is hosted ...
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
The SAFF Club Championship is an premier club football competition of South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) region countries. Top teams of their professional leagues will contest in the tournament. The tournament will be played from the middle of ...
, with the inaugural edition to be held in Bangladesh from 1–15 September of the same year. However 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. That however did not happen.
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.
Current title holders
Titles by nation
Note: (†) Member from 2005 till 2015
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
=
Women's
=AFC Women's Asian Cup
=
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
A ranking is a relationship between a set of items such that, for any two items, the first is either "ranked higher than", "ranked lower than" or "ranked equal to" the second.
In mathematics, this is known as a weak order or total preorder of ...
are calculated by
FIFA.
Men's National Teams
* Last updated: 6 October 2022
Leading Men's Team:
ImageSize = width:250 height:700
PlotArea = left:40 right:0 bottom:5 top:10
DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/1997 till:15/03/2023
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:1 start:1997
TimeAxis = orientation:vertical format:yyyy
Colors =
id:IND value:blue
id:MAD value:white
id:BHU value:yellow
id:NEP value:red
id:AFG value:green
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from:01/01/1997 till:01/06/2004 shift:(20,-3) text:"India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
" color:IND
from:01/06/2004 till:01/09/2004 shift:(20,-12) text:"Maldives
Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...
" color:MAD
from:01/09/2004 till:01/11/2004 shift:(20,-4) text:"India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
" color:IND
from:01/11/2004 till:01/12/2004 shift:(20,-4) text:"Maldives
Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...
" color:MAD
from:01/12/2004 till:01/07/2006 shift:(20,-4) text:"India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
" color:IND
from:01/07/2006 till:01/10/2006 shift:(20,-11) text:"Maldives
Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...
" color:MAD
from:01/10/2006 till:01/11/2006 shift:(20,-8) text:"India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
" color:IND
from:01/11/2006 till:01/12/2006 shift:(20,-3) text:"Maldives
Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...
" color:MAD
from:01/12/2006 till:01/03/2007 shift:(20,0) text:"India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
" color:IND
from:01/03/2007 till:01/08/2007 shift:(20,-3) text:"Maldives
Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...
" color:MAD
from:01/08/2007 till:01/08/2009 shift:(20,-12) text:"India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
" color:IND
from:01/08/2009 till:01/09/2009 shift:(20,-4) text:"Maldives
Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...
" color:MAD
from:01/09/2009 till:01/09/2010 shift:(20,-4) text:"India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
" color:IND
from:01/09/2010 till:01/10/2010 shift:(20,-11) text:"Maldives
Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...
" color:MAD
from:01/10/2010 till:01/07/2011 shift:(20,-8) text:"India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
" color:IND
from:01/07/2011 till:01/08/2012 shift:(20,-3) text:"Nepal
Nepal (; ne, :ne:नेपाल, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in S ...
" color:NEP
from:01/08/2012 till:01/03/2013 shift:(20,-4) text:"Maldives
Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...
" color:MAD
from:01/03/2013 till:01/02/2014 shift:(20,-11) text:"Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
" color:AFG
from:01/02/2014 till:01/06/2014 shift:(20,-8) text:"India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
" color:IND
from:01/06/2014 till:01/06/2015 shift:(20,-4) text:"Maldives
Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...
" color:MAD
from:01/06/2015 till:02/07/2015 shift:(20,-4) text:"India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
" color:IND
from:02/07/2015 till:02/06/2016 shift:(20,-4) text:"Maldives
Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...
" color:MAD
from:02/06/2016 till:end shift:(20,-4) text:"India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
" color:IND
Women's National Teams
* Last updated: 9 December 2022
Leading Women's team:
ImageSize = width:250 height:400
PlotArea = left:40 right:0 bottom:5 top:10
DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period = from:01/06/2003 till:31/03/2023
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from:01/06/2003 till:end shift:(20,-4) text:"India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
" color:India
Individual statistics
Top goalscorer in men's football
, the players with most goals scored in career from South Asia (SAFF) are:
By number of goals
By country
: ''Players in bold are active international players.''
Top goalscorer in women's football
, the players with most goals scored in career from South Asia (SAFF) are:
By number of goals
By country
: ''Players in bold are active international players.''
References
External links
South Asian Football Federation Cupat
RSSSF
The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF) is an international organization dedicated to collecting statistics about association football. The foundation aims to build an exhaustive archive of football-related information from around th ...
South Asia Football– SAFF website (archived)
{{AFC teams
South Asian Football Federation