SAFF championship postponed to 2026
Originally scheduled to take place this year, the biennial tournament will now be held next year, as both the federation and event sponsor, SportFive, felt that additional preparation time was required to ensure the event is executed smoothly.
The 15th edition of the SAFF Championship has been postponed to 2026, with the venue and tournament format yet to be finalised, the federation announced in a press release on Thursday.
Originally scheduled to take place this year, the biennial tournament will now be held next year, as both the federation and event sponsor, SportFive, felt that additional preparation time was required to ensure the event is executed smoothly.
"The SAFF had decided to stage the prestigious SAFF Championship in a home or away format this year. Preparations had been made accordingly. However, SAFF, our Member Associations, and SportFive felt that more arrangements needed to be in place to deliver the competition in a seamless manner.
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"Therefore, we have come to a decision to postpone the SAFF Championship to 2026, allowing all our stakeholders and member associations sufficient time to organise the championship in a grand manner," the press release stated.
SAFF also highlighted the importance of selecting an appropriate timeline for the tournament, particularly as it will now take place during a FIFA World Cup year.
