SAFF Club Championship

Last updated

SAFF Club Championship
Organising body SAFF
Founded2024;0 years ago (2024)
Region South Asia
Number of teams8 (from 1 sub-confederation)
Soccerball current event.svg 2024 SAFF Club Championship

The SAFF Club Championship is the premier men's football club tournament in South Asia. It is organized by the South Asian Football Federation and is open to clubs representing its seven members. The first edition is expected to be held in 2024. [1]

Contents

History

SAFF president Kazi Salahuddin had wanted to create a regional club competition since he was first elected to the position in 2009. For over a decade, the plan was stalled because of a lack of sponsors. [2] In May 2023, it was announced following the federation's Ordinary Congress in Dhaka, Bangladesh that the competition would likely be held for the first time in 2024. [3] All seven member associations agreed on its creation and to participate in the first edition of the tournament. It was planned that each member association would receive one spot in the competition, with the All India Football Federation granted two spots as the largest member, for a total of eight participants. [4]

Originally, it was proposed that the tournament would be held at a central location over two weeks. However, that was then amended to a home-and-away format at the request of India. It was imagined as being played over six or seven months during the domestic league seasons. [4]

Results and statistics

List of SAFF Club Championship finals
YearHome teamScoreAway team
2024

See also

Related Research Articles

The Bhutan national football team represents Bhutan in men's international football. The team is controlled by the governing body for football in Bhutan, the Bhutan Football Federation, which is a member of the Asian Football Federation and the regional body the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). The national football team of Bhutan play their home games at the national stadium, Changlimithang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Afghanistan national football team</span> National football team of Afghanistan

The Afghanistan national football team is the national football team of Afghanistan and is controlled by the Afghanistan Football Federation. Founded in 1922, they played their first international game against Iran in Kabul, 1941. Afghanistan then joined FIFA in 1948 and the AFC in 1954, as one of the founding members. They play their home games at the Ghazi National Olympic Stadium in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. In 2013, Afghanistan won the 2013 SAFF Championship and earned the "FIFA Fair Play Award". Afghanistan has never qualified for the AFC Asian Cup.

The Bangladesh national football team is the national recognised football team of Bangladesh and is controlled by the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF). It is a member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) since 1973 and of FIFA since 1974, even though the Bangladesh Football Federation was first founded in 1972. Bangladesh was elected as a member of the AFC Executive Committee in 1982–1986 and 1998–2002. The current Executive Committee was elected democratically, under an AFC approved constitution and direct supervision of FIFA & AFC, in October 2020.

The Maldives national football team represents the Maldives in international football and is controlled by the Football Association of Maldives. It is a member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nepal national football team</span> Mens association football team

The Nepal national football team represents Nepal in International men's football, and is governed by the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA). A member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the Nepali football team plays their home games at Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pakistan national football team</span> Mens association football team representing Pakistan

The Pakistan national football team represents Pakistan in men's international football in FIFA-authorized events and is controlled by the Pakistan Football Federation, the governing body for football in Pakistan. Pakistan became a member of FIFA in 1948 joining the Asian Football Confederation and its national team debuted in 1950.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Asian Football Federation</span> Football association

South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) is an association of the football playing nations in South Asia which is a regional subsidiary of Asian Football Confederation, incorporated in 1997. The members of the association are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">India women's national football team</span> Womens national football team representing India

The India women's national football team represents India at women's international football competitions and is governed by the All India Football Federation. Under the global jurisdiction of FIFA and governed in Asia by the AFC. India is also part of the South Asian Football Federation. The team was one of the best in Asia in the mid-1970s to early 1980s, when they became runners-up in the 1979 and the 1983 AFC Women's Asian Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SAFF Championship</span> Football tournament of Asia

The South Asian Football Federation Championship, is the main subcontinental international association football competition of the men's national football teams governed by the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). All seven teams are eligible to compete in tournament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">India national under-23 football team</span> Mens under-23 national association football team representing India

The India national under-23 football team represents India in international under-23 football and is controlled by the All India Football Federation (AIFF). A member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the team is eligible to compete in the Summer Olympic Games, the AFC U-23 Asian Cup, and the Asian Games, subject to qualification.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">India national under-17 football team</span> National association football team

The India national under-17 football team represents India in international football at the under-17 level. Controlled by the All India Football Federation, the governing body for football in India, the team is part of the Asian Football Confederation and the South Asian Football Federation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bangladesh women's national football team</span> Womens association football team representing Bangladesh

The Bangladesh women's national football team is the women's national association football team of Bangladesh controlled by the Bangladesh Football Federation under the supervision of the women's football committee. It is a member of the Asian Football Confederation and has yet to qualify for the World Cup or an AFC Women's Asian Cup finals.

The Bhutan women's national football team represents Bhutan in international women's football. The team is controlled by the governing body for football in Bhutan, the Bhutan Football Federation, which is currently a member of the Asian Football Federation and the regional body the South Asian Football Federation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">India women's national under-20 football team</span> Womens under-20 national association football team representing India

The India women's national under-20 football team represents India in international women's under-20 football in the AFC U-19 Women's Championship and the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. It is controlled by the AIFF. They also participated in the 2021–22 Indian Women's League season, as Indian Arrows Women.

The SAFF Women's Championship, also called the South Asian Football Federation Women's Cup, is a competition for women's national football teams governed by the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). All seven members are eligible to participate in the tournament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pakistan national under-17 football team</span> National association football team

The Pakistan national under-17 football team is a youth football team operated under the Pakistan Football Federation. The team represents Pakistan in the AFC U-17 Asian Cup and the SAFF U-15/16/17 Championship, winning the latter's inaugural edition, and is yet to qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

The Bangladesh national under-20 football team represents Bangladesh in international youth football competitions in SAFF U-20 Championship, AFC U-20 Championship and FIFA U-20 World Cup, as well as any other under-20, under-19 & under-18 international football tournaments. The team is operated under the Bangladesh Football Federation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian Women's League</span> Indian Womens professional football league

The Indian Women's League is the women's top tier professional football league in India. Founded in 2016, currently a total of 7 teams from across the country participate in the league.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">India women's national under-17 football team</span> National association football team

The Indian women's national under-17 football team represents India in international women's under-17 football. The team is controlled by the governing body for football in India, the All India Football Federation (AIFF). The federation is currently a member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the regional South Asian Football Federation (SAFF).

2024 SAFF Club Championship will be the inaugural edition of the SAFF Club Championship, an annual international men's club football championship of South Asia organised by the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF).

References

  1. "SAFF Club Cup tournament likely from early 2024". The Bangladesh Post. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  2. "First-ever SAFF Club C'ship likely next year". New Age. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  3. "SAFF announces start of club championship from next year". Dawn. 7 May 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  4. 1 2 Mukherjee, Sayan (17 May 2023). "SAFF mulls home and away system for its inaugural club championship". News 9. Retrieved 30 November 2023.