South Asian Football Federation

The SAFF was founded in 1997, with Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. In 2000, they expanded to 7 members, adding Bhutan. Afghanistan joined in 2005, but left in 2015, to join then newly formed Central Asian Football Association.^[1]

President	Years
P. P. Lakshmanan	1997–2001[2][3]
Ganesh Thapa	2001–2009[4][3]
Kazi Salahuddin	2009–2016[5][3]
Ranjith Rodrigo*	2016–2016
Kazi Salahuddin	2016–present[5][3]

*Due to health issues in 2016, Ranjith Rodrigo replaced Salahuddin as acting president for two months.^[6]

FIFA Code	Association	Founded	SAFF affiliation	Top tier league (men's)	Top tier league (women's)	National team
BAN	Bangladesh	1972	1997	Bangladesh Premier League	Bangladesh Women's Football League	Men's U23 U20 U17 U15 F BS Women's W U23 W U20 W U17
BHU	Bhutan	1983	2000	Bhutan Premier League	Women's National League	Men's U23 U20 U17 U15 F BS Women's W U23 W U20 W U17
IND	India	1937	1997	Indian Super League	Indian Women's League	Men's U23 U20 U17 U15 F BS Women's W U23 W U20 W U17
MDV	Maldives	1982	1997	Dhivehi Premier League		Men's U23 U20 U17 U15 F BS Women's W U23 W U20 W U17
NEP	Nepal	1951	1997	Martyr's Memorial A-Division League	National Women's league	Men's U23 U20 U17 U15 F BS Women's W U23 W U20 W U17
PAK	Pakistan	1947	1997	Pakistan Premier League	National Women Football Championship	Men's U23 U20 U17 U15 F BS Women's W U23 W U20 W U17
SRI	Sri Lanka	1939	1997	Sri Lanka Super League		Men's U23 U20 U17 U15 F BS Women's W U23 W U20 W U17

Former member

Association	SAFF membership duration	Notes
Afghanistan	2005–2015	Afghanistan joined SAFF in 2005, later left in 2015 to become a founding member of Central Asian Football Association (CAFA).

The South Asian Football Federation runs several competitions on subcontinental level.

National team

Club

The South Asian Football Federation announced in April 2011 that they had decided to start a new tournament for association football club sides, the SAFF Club Championship, with the inaugural edition to be held in Bangladesh from 1–15 September of the same year.^[7] The competition was postponed and desires to revive the competition were again announced in July 2013 but the competition has still not started with accusations that India, the prime nation in the competition, were not altogether interested in participating.^[8]

Sri Lanka was supposed to host the first edition in August 2014.^[9]

A new possible start was set for December 2016 but later announced that 2017 would see the first edition.^[10][11] This again was changed and announced that 2018 would be the start of the tournament.^[12] But the Club Championship was never a reality and only remained as a plan on paper.

The 2024 SAFF Club Championship will be the inaugural edition of the SAFF Club Championship, the biennial international men's club football championship of South Asia organised by South Asian Football Federation (SAFF).^[13]

Current title holders

Competition		Current	Champions	Details	Runners-up		Next
National teams
SAFF Championship		2023	India	Final	Kuwait		2025
South Asian Games		2019	Nepal	Final	Bhutan		2024
U-19 Championship		2023	India	Final	Pakistan		2024
U-16 Championship		2023	India	Final	Bangladesh		2024
Women's national teams
SAFF Women's Championship		2022	Bangladesh	Final	Nepal		2024
South Asian Games		2019	India	Final	Nepal		2024
U-19 Women's Championship		2024	Bangladesh  India	Final	No runners-up		2025
U-16 Women's Championship		2024	Bangladesh	Final	India		2025
Club teams
SAFF Club Championship		2024	—	—	—		2025

Titles by nation

Nation	National team (men's)				National team (women's)				Club	Total
	SAFF	SAG	U18/U19/U20	U15/U16/U17	SAFF	SAG	U18/U19/U20	U15/U16/U17	SCC
India	9	3	3	5	5	3	2	2	–	32
Bangladesh	1	2	0	2	1	0	4	2	–	12
Nepal	0	4	2	0	0	0	0	2	–	8
Pakistan	0	4	0	1	0	0	0	0	–	5
Maldives	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	–	2
Sri Lanka	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	–	1
Bhutan	0	0	0	0	0	–	0	0	–	0
Former member
Afghanistan†	1	0	0	0	0	–	–	–	–	1
Invited guest
Russia††	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1	–	1
Kuwait	0	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	0
Lebanon	0	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	0
Total	14	13	5	8	6	3	6	7	–	61

Note: (†) Member from 2005 till 2015, (††) The Russian Under-17 team was invited to the Under-17 tournament

Last Update: 2024 SAFF U-19 Women's Championship (Total: 44 Editions)

Exclude Football at the South Asian Games and SAFF Club Championship.

1. SAFF Championship (1993-2023) - 14 Editions
2. SAFF Women's Championship (2010-2022) - 6 Editions
3. SAFF U-20 Championship (2015-2023) - 5 Editions
4. SAFF U-20 Women's Championship (2018-2024) - 5 Editions
5. SAFF U-17 Championship (2011-2023) - 8 Editions
6. SAFF U-17 Women's Championship (2017-2023) - 6 Editions

Without Semifinal Losers

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	India (IND)	25	10	6	41
2	Bangladesh (BAN)	10	12	4	26
3	Nepal (NEP)	4	12	8	24
4	Maldives (MDV)	2	3	2	7
5	Pakistan (PAK)	1	2	1	4
6	Afghanistan (AFG)	1	2	0	3
7	Sri Lanka (SRI)	1	1	0	2
8	Russia (RUS)	1	0	0	1
9	Kuwait (KUW)	0	1	0	1
10	Bhutan (BHU)	0	0	3	3
Totals (10 entries)		45	43	24	112

• Share gold in 2024 SAFF U-19 Women's Championship.

With Semifinal Losers

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	India (IND)	25	10	7	42
2	Bangladesh (BAN)	10	12	12	34
3	Nepal (NEP)	4	12	15	31
4	Maldives (MDV)	2	3	8	13
5	Pakistan (PAK)	1	2	5	8
6	Afghanistan (AFG)	1	2	2	5
7	Sri Lanka (SRI)	1	1	7	9
8	Russia (RUS)	1	0	0	1
9	Kuwait (KUW)	0	1	0	1
10	Bhutan (BHU)	0	0	6	6
11	Lebanon (LBN)	0	0	1	1
Totals (11 entries)		45	43	63	151

• Share gold in 2024 SAFF U-19 Women's Championship.

Legend

For each tournament, the flag of the host country and the number of teams in each finals tournament (in brackets) are shown.

Senior

Men's

FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup record
Team	1930 (13)	1934 (16)	1938 (15)	1950 (13)	1954 (16)	1958 (16)	1962 (16)	1966 (16)	1970 (16)	1974 (16)	1978 (16)	1982 (24)	1986 (24)	1990 (24)	1994 (24)	1998 (32)	2002 (32)	2006 (32)	2010 (32)	2014 (32)	2018 (32)	2022 (32)	2026 (48)	2030 (48)	Years	Attempts
Bangladesh	did not exist									×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	TBD	TBD	0	10
Bhutan	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	TBD	0	3
India	did not exist			••	‡	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	TBD	TBD	0	10
Maldives	did not exist							×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	TBD	0	8
Nepal	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	×	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	TBD	TBD	0	8
Pakistan	did not exist			×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	TBD	TBD	0	8
Sri Lanka	did not exist			‡	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	TBD	0	9
Former member
Afghanistan	Not member of FIFA			Not a SAFF member														•	•	•	Not a SAFF member				0	3

AFC Asian Cup

Team	1956 (4)	1960 (4)	1964 (4)	1968 (5)	1972 (6)	1976 (6)	1980 (10)	1984 (10)	1988 (10)	1992 (8)	1996 (12)	2000 (12)	2004 (16)	2007 (16)	2011 (16)	2015 (16)	2019 (24)	2023 (24)	2027 (24)	Total
Bangladesh	Part of  Pakistan				×	×	GS	•	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	TBD	1
India	×	•	2nd	•	×	×	×	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	GS	GS	TBD	5

AFC Solidarity Cup

Teams	2016 (7)	Total
Bangladesh	×	0
Bhutan	‡	0
Nepal	1st	1
Pakistan	×	0
Sri Lanka	GS	1

Asian Games men's football tournament

Football at the Asian Games was a senior tournament until 1998.

Football at the Asian Games has been an under-23 tournament since 2002.

Nation	1951 (6)	1954 (12)	1958 (14)	1962 (8)	1966 (11)	1970 (10)	1974 (15)	1978 (14)	1982 (16)	1986 (18)	1990 (14)	1994 (19)	1998 (23)	2002 (24)	2006 (28)	2010 (24)	2014 (29)	2018 (25)	2022 (23)	2026 (TBA)	Years
Bangladesh	did not exist							13th	12th	14th	13th		DQ	20th	24th	24th	20th	15th	20th		10
India	1st	8th	4th	1st	8th	3rd	13th	8th	6th	16th	DQ	DQ	16th	10th	14th	14th	26th		9th		16
Maldives	did not exist												20th	22nd	20th	17th	21st				5
Nepal									16th	18th		18th	17th				29th	22nd			6
Pakistan		6th	9th				11th			17th	14th			23rd	21st	22nd	24th	17th			10
Former member
Afghanistan	Not a SAFF member																25th	Not a SAFF member			1

Women's

AFC Women's Asian Cup

Team	1975 (6)	1977 (6)	1980 (6)	1981 (8)	1983 (6)	1986 (7)	1989 (8)	1991 (9)	1993 (8)	1995 (11)	1997 (11)	1999 (15)	2001 (14)	2003 (14)	2006 (9)	2008 (8)	2010 (8)	2014 (8)	2018 (8)	2022 (12)	2026 (12)	2029 (12)	Total
India	×	×	2nd	3rd	2nd	×	×	×	×	GS	GS	GS	GS	GS	•	•	•	•	•	••[a]	TBD	TBD	9
Nepal	×	×	×	×	×	GS	GS	×	×	×	×	GS	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	TBD	TBD	3

Asian Games Women's football tournament

Nation	1990 (6)	1994 (4)	1998 (8)	2002 (6)	2006 (8)	2010 (7)	2014 (11)	2018 (11)	2022 (16)	2026 (TBA)	Years
Bangladesh									12th		1
India			8th				9th		13th		3
Maldives					DQ		11th	10th			2
Nepal									11th		1

Junior

Men's U-20

AFC U-20 Asian Cup

Nation	1959	1960	1961	1962	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1980	1982
Bangladesh	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	GS	×	GS	GS	5th	×
India	×	×	×	×	GS	GS	GS	QF	QF	GS	×	×	QF	GS	GS	1st	GS	GS	QF	GS	•	•
Nepal	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	GS	GS	×	GS	×	×	×	×	•	•
Pakistan	×	×	×	GS	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	GS	×	×	×	×	×	×	•
Sri Lanka	8th	×	GS	×	GS	×	×	GS	QF	×	GS	GS	×	×	×	×	×	GS	×	GS	×	×

Nation	1985	1986	1988	1990	1992	1994	1996	1998	2000	2002	2004	2006	2008	2010	2012	2014	2016	2018	2023	Total
Bangladesh	•	×	•	•	•	×	GS	•	•	GS	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	6
India	•	GS	×	GS	GS	×	GS	GS	•	QF	GS	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	22
Nepal	×	•	×	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	4
Pakistan	•	•	•	•	•	×	•	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	×	×	×	×	3
Sri Lanka	×	GS	×	•	×	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	×	•	×	×	•	•	•	10

Men's U-17

FIFA U-17 World Cup

Team	1985 (16)	1987 (16)	1989 (16)	1991 (16)	1993 (16)	1995 (16)	1997 (16)	1999 (16)	2001 (16)	2003 (16)	2005 (16)	2007 (24)	2009 (24)	2011 (24)	2013 (24)	2015 (24)	2017 (24)	2019 (24)	2023 (24)	Total
India	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	R1	•	•	1

AFC U-17 Asian Cup

Nation	1985	1986	1988	1990	1992	1994	1996	1998	2000	2002	2004	2006	2008	2010	2012	2014	2016	2018	2023	Total
Bangladesh	×	GS	•	•	GS	•	•	GS	GS	×	GS	GS	DQ	•	•	×	•	•	•	6
India	•	•	•	GS	•	•	GS	•	•	QF	GS	•	GS	•	GS	•	GS	QF	GS	9
Nepal	•	×	•	•	•	×	×	•	GS	×	•	GS	•	•	•	GS	×	•	•	3
Pakistan	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	•	•	GS	×	•	•	•	•	•	×	×	•	1

Women's U-20

AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup

Team	2002 (12)	2004 (15)	2006 (8)	2007 (8)	2009 (8)	2011 (6)	2013 (6)	2015 (8)	2017 (8)	2019 (8)	2024 (8)	Total
India	GS	QF	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	3
Nepal	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	1

Women's U-17

FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup

Team	2008 (16)	2010 (16)	2012 (16)	2014 (16)	2016 (16)	2018 (16)	2022 (16)	2024 (16)	Total
India	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	1

AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup

Team	2005 (11)	2007 (6)	2009 (8)	2011 (6)	2013 (12)	2015 (8)	2017 (8)	2019 (8)	2024 (8)	Total
Bangladesh	GS	×	×	×	×	•	GS	GS	•	3
India	GS	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	1

Rankings are calculated by FIFA.

• Last updated: 4 April 2024^[15]

Leading men's team:

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Women's national teams

AFC	FIFA	Country	Points	+/−	Highest	Lowest
13	66	India	1389.02		49	66
19	100	Nepal	1208.42		91	119
30	140	Bangladesh	1068.52		100	147
32	157	Sri Lanka	955.21		101	157
33	158	Pakistan	949.54		106	161
35	161	Maldives	938.55		91	162
38	173	Bhutan	853.48		113	178

• Last updated: 15 March 2024^[16]

Leading women's team:

Top goalscorer in men's football

As of 10 November 2023

By country

(only highest goalscorers from each country)

#	Name	Career	Goals	Caps	Avg/Game
1	Sunil Chhetri (list)	2005–present	93	148	0.63
2	Ali Ashfaq (list)	2003–present	58	98	0.59
3	Kasun Jayasuriya (list)	2000–2009	27	55	0.49
4	Ashraf Uddin Ahmed Chunnu (list)	1975–1985	17	50	0.34
5	Nirajan Rayamajhi (list)	2002–2010	12	19	0.63
6	Chencho Gyeltshen (list)	2011–present	13	44	0.3
7	Muhammad Essa (list)	2000–2009	11	37	0.3

Players in bold are active international players.

Top goalscorer in women's football

As of 20 August 2022

By country

(only highest goalscorers from each country)

#	Name	Career	Goals	Caps	Avg/Game
1	Bala Devi	2010–present	52	64	0.81
2	Sabitra Bhandari	2014–present	51	46	1.11
3	Sabina Khatun	2009–present	34	53	0.64

Players in bold are active international players.

• FIFA
  • Asian Football Confederation (AFC)
    • ASEAN Football Federation (AFF)
    • East Asian Football Federation (EAFF)
    • Central Asian Football Association (CAFA)
    • West Asian Football Federation (WAFF)

• South Asian Football Federation Cup at RSSSF
• South Asia Football – SAFF website (archived)