The SAFF U-15/U-16/U-17 Championship is an annual international football competition contested by the national teams of the members of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). The first edition was held as SAFF U-16 Championship, where most teams sent their U-15 team, keeping in mind AFC U-16 Championship hold every following years to SAFF U-16 Championship. In the 2017 edition, it was held as SAFF U-15 Championship and the subsequent 2022 edition, the SAFF U-17 Championship was introduced. The first edition of the tournament took place in Nepal in August 2011. The competition was launched under the leadership of SAFF President Kazi Salahuddin who was elected in 2009.[1][2][3]
| Founded | 2011 |
|---|---|
| Region | SAFF |
| Number of teams | 7 |
| Current champions |  India (5th title) |
| Most successful team(s) | India (5 titles) |
 2024 SAFF U-16 Championship | |
Results edit
- U15 Category
| Year | Host | Final | Third place match/Semi-finalists | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champion | Score | Runner-up | Third place | Score | Fourth place | ||||
| 2017 Details |
 Nepal |
 India |
2 – 1 |  Nepal |
 Bangladesh |
8 – 0 |  Bhutan | ||
| 2018 Details |
Nepal |
Bangladesh |
1 – 1 (3 – 2 p) |
 Pakistan |
India |
1 – 0 | Nepal | ||
| 2019 Details |
India |
India |
7 – 0 | Nepal |
Bangladesh | ||||
- U16 Category
| Year | Host | Final | Third place match/Semi-finalists | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champion | Score | Runner-up | Third place | Score | Fourth place | ||||
| 2011 Details |
Nepal |
Pakistan |
2 – 1 | India |
Nepal |
2 – 1 | Bangladesh | ||
| 2013 Details |
Nepal |
India |
1 – 0 | Nepal |
Bangladesh |
1 – 0 |  Afghanistan | ||
| 2015 Details |
 Bangladesh |
Bangladesh |
1 – 1 (4 – 2 p) |
India |
 Afghanistan and Nepal
| ||||
| 2023 Details |
 Bhutan |
India |
2 – 0 | Bangladesh |
 Pakistan and  Maldives
| ||||
| 2024 Details |
Bhutan |
||||||||
- U17 Category
| Year | Host | Final | Third place match/Semi-finalists | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champion | Score | Runner-up | Third place | Score | Fourth place | ||||
| 2022 Details |
 Sri Lanka |
India |
4 – 0 | Nepal |
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
| ||||
Participating nations edit
- Legend
- 1st – Champions
- 2nd – Runners-up
- 3rd – Third place
- 4th – Fourth place
- SF – Semifinals
- GS – Group stage
- q – Qualified for upcoming tournament
- — Hosts
- × – Did not enter
- • – Did not qualify
- × – Withdrew before qualification
- — Withdrew/Disqualified after qualification
- — Not part of SAFF
| Team | 2011 |
2013 |
2015 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2022 |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh
|
4th | 3rd | 1st | 3rd | 1st | 3rd | SF | 7 |
| Bhutan
|
× | GS | × | 4th | GS | GS | GS | 5 |
| India
|
2nd | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 7 |
| Maldives
|
GS | × | GS | GS | GS | × | GS | 5 |
| Nepal
|
3rd | 2nd | SF | 2nd | 4th | 2nd | 2nd | 7 |
| Pakistan
|
1st | GS | × | × | 2nd | × | × | 3 |
| Sri Lanka
|
GS | GS | GS | GS | × | GS | SF | 6 |
| Former member | ||||||||
| Afghanistan
|
× | 4th | SF | Not part of SAFF | 2 | |||
Awards edit
| Year | Top scorer(s) | Goals | Best player | Fair play award |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Mohammad Bilal |
4 | Mansoor Khan |
Not awarded |
| 2013 | Bimal Magar |
6 | Krishna Pandit
| |
| 2015 | Saurabh Meher |
3 | Sarwan Zaman Nipu |
Nepal
|
| 2017 | Foysal Ahmed Fahim |
6 | Vikram Pratap Singh |
Bangladesh
|
| 2018 | Nihat Jaman Ucchash |
4 | Haseeb Khan |
Bangladesh
|
| 2019 | Himanshu Jangra |
7 | Himanshu Jangra |
Bangladesh
|
| 2022 | Mirajul Islam Thanglalsoun Gangte Unesh Budhathoki |
4 | Not awarded | Not awarded |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "MEN (SAFF U17)". Retrieved 9 September 2023.
- ^ "SAFF U-17 Championship: India reinforce regional dominance with fourth crown". Retrieved 9 September 2023.
- ^ "SAFF U-17 Championship: India win title, defeat Nepal 4-0 in final". Retrieved 9 September 2023.