SAFF Championship: Know history and winners of every edition

The SAFF Championship is a biennial football tournament that is competed in by national football teams from South Asia.

Organised by the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF), the SAFF Championship has developed into South Asia’s premier football tournament since its inception in 1993. 

This competition is organised to promote football’s development in the southern sub region of Asia. 

India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Pakistan were the four teams that participated in the first edition of SAFF Championship held in Lahore, Pakistan in 1993. It was previously known as the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation Gold Cup.

India became the first-ever South Asian football champions after clinching the inaugural SAFF Championship in 1993.

The South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation Gold Cup was later named as South Asian Gold Cup in 1995. It was once again changed to South Asian Football Federation Gold Cup in 1997 until 2005. Since 2008, the tournament has been called SAFF Championship. 

Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Lebanon, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are the eight nations that currently compete in SAFF Championship.

Earlier, Afghanistan joined the South Asian Football Federation in 2005, but later moved to the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) as a founding member in 2015.

Indian football team has been the most dominant team in SAFF Championship history, reaching 13 finals in 14 editions so far. They have won the SAFF Championship on nine occasions. 

The Sunil Chhetri-led India are also currently the defending champions of SAFF Championship, having defeated Kuwait on penalties in the 2023 final.

Maldives have claimed the SAFF Championship twice, while Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka have clinched the coveted title once. Get SAFF Championship winners list.

SAFF Championship winners list

Photo credit: Alamy