SAFF South Asian Football Federation committee conducted a meeting on dated 8th of January 2025 at Kathmandu nepal. In the chairman ship of current SAFF president Kazi Salahuddin with all 7 seven member countries football association. A big decision was taken by SAFF and the south asian football fan’s SAFF club championship announcement waiting over now.
Men's SAFF club championship
South Asian Football Federation regional club competition was in plan of president Kazi Salahuddin for over a decade now. On one of SAFF meeting during 2023 all 7 member countries football federation agreed to kick off the event in 2024. South Asian football fans had high hopes as their SAFF club championship announcement waiting over. Initial plan of South Asian Football Federation was to keep the club competition for only couple weeks short in a centralized location. Which was later opposed by All India Football Federation and suggested South Asian Football Federation to keep it longer for 6 months and matches could be conducted on home and away format.
SAFF club championship structure
As the SAFF club championship announcement waiting over let’s take a look at the current decided structure of the championship. According to the current decision taken by South Asian Football Federation total 8 clubs will be playing in the championship. One club from each SAAF member football federation except India as India has highest rake among the countries in AFC 2 clubs can represent All Indian Football Federation in the championship.
| Country | Clubs |
|---|---|
|
India |
2 |
|
SriLanka |
1 |
|
BanglaDesh |
1 |
|
Nepal |
1 |
|
Bhutan |
1 |
|
Maldives |
1 |
|
Pakistan |
1 |
SAFF club championship schedule
South Asian FootBall Federation has not yet published the actual schedule and venue for the SAFF club championship. Though SAFF have committed that the inaugural session of SAFF club championship will be conducted during year 2026. So the south asian football fans have to wait till 2026 to watch their favorite clubs to compete with regional competitor clubs. As initiated by All India Football Federation to make it home away format and a 6 months long series fans can expect their home team to play one match each with every opponent in their home ground.
SAFF club championship participation AIFF
As the concept of SAFF club championship is in very premature stage fans have to yet wait for All India football federations decision to know how two clubs based on Indian will be selected for the SAFF club championship.
Women's SAFF club championship
On the same meeting held at Kathmandu Nepal on 8th January 2025 South Asian Football Federation has cleared women’s SAFF club championship is also in their plan. Although SAFF haven’t yet given any tentative time line or structure of the women’s championship. South asian football fan might have to wait more to watch women’s club to participate in SAFF championship.
Advantage for Indian Football from SAFF Championship
As after the worst performance of Indian national football team in the year 2024 they have slipped to 127 FIFA rank as we write the post. with 127 FIFA raking India is still in the top position of all SAFF countries football federation. If you consider SAFF countries domestic league India is having the most exciting and challenging domestic league. So Indian clubs or Indian origin player participating in SAFF club championship wouldn’t make much difference for the players to participate in ISL or I-league.
Advantages of South Asian Nations form SAFF Championship
For other SAFF nations domestic club’s it would be a good experience for to participate against much stronger Indian clubs. This could help Indian football indirectly if SAFF is able to promote the championship in the region then this could initiate a football competitiveness among the South asian nations. Which could help in the progress of football in the region along with India.
Conclusion
As it seems south asian football fans SAFF club championship announcement waiting over as we at khel stories believe that finally long waiting championship will kick off its first season on the year of 2026. This is a good initiative for south asian regional football as a country can only develop if its football in the entire region of the countries improves in football. As of the current announcement two teams from India will qualified for SAFF club championship. We at Khel stories believe that Indian football fan will keep an eye on All Indian Football federation’s decision for club’s qualification into SAFF championship an support their team in the SAFF championship.