The 2025 edition of the SAFF Championship has been postponed to 2026, the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) announced on Thursday.
“… SAFF, our Member Associations and SportFive felt that more arrangement needed to be in place to deliver the competition in a smooth manner,” the body said in a media release.
“Therefore, we have come to a decision to postpone the SAFF Championship to 2026 so that all our stakeholders and member associations have adequate time to organise the championship in a grand manner.”
The SAFF Championship, which was previously hoisted in India in 2023, was expected to be played in a home-and-away format. However, it was later decided to be organised with Sri Lanka as the centralised venue, something that remains cancelled now.
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It will instead happen next year, and the dates and venue for the tournament are yet to be finalised.
“With 2026 being a FIFA World Cup year, enough attention has to be given to find an appropriate timeline and venue for the SAFF Championship,” SAFF added in its statement.
“We urge all our stakeholders, fans, media and the member associations to bear with us so that the prestigious event will be organised flawlessly.”
India is the record winner of the SAFF Championship (nine titles) and is also the defending champion, with Sunil Chhetri winning the Golden Ball (best player) and Golden Boot (highest goalscorer) in 2023.
Content Source: sportstar.thehindu.com