SAFF Championship 2020 to be hosted by Bangladesh
The South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) has awarded the hosting of the 13th South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship, that will be played from from September 7 to 19, to Bangaldesh. This is the second successive time that the SAFF Championships is being held in Bangladesh. The last edition was in 2018.
This is the fourth time in SAFF Championship history that the competition is being held in Bangladesh. In 2003, 2009 and 2018 Bangladesh hosted the event.
It should have been held in Pakistan but the FIFA has sidelined Pakistan and as a result the competition has been handed over to Bangladesh.
Seven countries will participate in it. They are: Pakistan, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
The tournament started in 1993 in Pakistan. From the first championship, India has won it on seven occasions. At the last edition Maldives won it, prior to that they have won it in 2008. Sri Lanka has won it once in 1995 in the Colombo edition defeating India 1-0. Since then Sri Lanka has not won it.
Jaswar Umar, Secretary Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) told the Daily Mirror that they give priority to the South Asian Games Football Championships to be held in Kathmandu,nepal from December 1 to 10. A national pool is currently under training with junior, youth and senior players in it. After the SAG
This is the fourth time on the SAFF Championship history that the competition is being held in Bangladesh. In 2003, 2009 and 2018 Bangladesh hosted the event
the players will concentrate the SAFF Championships.
The present coach is Rumy Packeerali whose contract will come to an end in February 2020, and depending on the SAG performances the FFSL will decide if to extend his contract.
In the 2018 SAFF Championship he was the coach. He brought up the team from the doldrums. Sri Lanka lost the tournament in the semifinals on the toss of a coin.