Kathmandu, August 9
The 13th edition of the SAFF Championship will be held in the Maldives from October 1-13, the SAFF Executive Committee meeting decided on Monday.
Nepal had also received an offer to host the regional event and submitted a proposal, but the committee selected the island country.
“SAFF decided to hold the championship in the Maldives because of relatively better Covid-19 situation there. Also, it has been long since the Maldives last hosted the championship,” ANFA General Secretary Indraman Tuladhar informs in a statement.
The last time the championship was held in the Maldives was in 2008. The Maldives and Sri Lanka had jointly hosted the championship then.
Five nations―Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka―have confirmed their participation in the championship this year while Bhutan will confirm its participation in three days.
The biennial men’s football championship has been held twice in Nepal, first in 1997 and second in 2013.
India has been the most successful country in the championship lifting the title on seven occasions. Nepal are yet to reach the final of the championship.
