The 15th edition of the SAFF Championship, originally scheduled for this year, has been postponed to 2026 as the tournament venue and format have yet to be finalised, the SAFF announced in a press release on Thursday.
The biennial South Asian football tournament has been deferred to allow more time for preparation, with both the SAFF authorities and title sponsor SportFive agreeing that additional arrangements are needed to ensure smooth execution.
“The SAFF had planned to host the Championship in a home-and-away format this year, and preparations were underway. However, SAFF, our Member Associations, and SportFive felt that further steps are needed to deliver the competition seamlessly,” the press release stated.
Format of SAFF Championship likely to change
“Therefore, we have decided to postpone the SAFF Championship to 2026, giving all stakeholders and member associations sufficient time to organise the tournament on a grand scale.”
SAFF also stressed the need to carefully select a suitable window for the event, especially as it will now coincide with a FIFA World Cup year.