13th edition of SAFF Championship to be held on October 1-13 in Maldives

KATHMANDU: The 13th edition of the SAFF Championship will be held from October 1-13 in the Maldives.

The SAFF Executive Committee meeting took this decision Monday after reviewing proposals from both Maldives and Nepal for hosting the Championship.

“SAFF decided to hold the Championship in the Maldives as the COVID-19 situation there is better than ours. Also, it has been long since the Maldives last hosted the Championship,” ANFA General Secretary Indraman Tuladhar said.

The Maldives had hosted the Championship in 2008. The Maldives and Sri Lanka had jointly hosted the Championship which was won by the Maldives.

Five nations―Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka―have confirmed their participation in the Championship while Bhutan will confirm its participation in three days.

Nepal had received a conditional hosting offer from SAFF to hold the Championship. Both Nepal and Maldives had submitted proposals to host the championship.

The championship which is held every two years has been organized twice in Nepal, first in 1997 and the second in 2013 where Nepal lost to Afghanistan in the semi-final.

India has lifted the Championship title on seven occasions.