The 2023 SAFF Championship will be held in Bengaluru, India between June 21 to July 4. All matches will be conducted at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium.
This will be the 14th edition of the tournament which is generally competed among the seven teams of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). Afghanistan had briefly joined the SAFF 2005 but left the association in 2015.
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India are the most successful team in the history of the competition winning the tournament on eight occasions in the past. They are also the reigning champions.
Who are the hosts of the SAFF Championship 2023?
Sri Lanka had initially expressed their desire to host this edition of the tournament in 2021 but after their football federation got suspended by FIFA in January 2023, India were given the hosting rights.
Due to the FIFA suspension, Sri Lanka will neither host the competition nor will they participate this year.
Which teams are participating in the SAFF Championship 2023?
Eight nations are participating in the tournament this year. Six out of those eight teams are members of SAFF while two nations, Lebanon and Kuwait are invitees.
What are the groups in the SAFF Championship 2023?
Hosts and reigning champions India are clubbed in Group A alongside Pakistan, Nepal and Kuwait, while the highest-ranked team in the tournament Lebanon have been placed in Group B alongside Maldives, Bhutan and Bangladesh.
There are two groups of four teams from where the top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals.
| Group A | Group B |
|---|---|
| India | Lebanon |
| Pakistan | Maldives |
| Nepal | Bhutan |
| Kuwait | Bangladesh |
SAFF Championship 2023 Schedule
The first match of the tournament will kick off on June 21 where Kuwait take on Nepal. The final will be played on July 4.
| Date | Match | Time (IST) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 21 | Kuwait vs Nepal | 15:30 | Bengaluru |
| June 21 | India vs Pakistan | 19:30 | Bengaluru |
| June 22 | Lebanon vs Bangladesh | 15:30 | Bengaluru |
| June 22 | Maldives vs Bhutan | 19:30 | Bengaluru |
| June 24 | Pakistan vs Kuwait | 15:30 | Bengaluru |
| June 24 | Nepal vs India | 19:30 | Bengaluru |
| June 25 | Bangladesh vs Maldives | 15:30 | Bengaluru |
| June 25 | Bhutan vs Lebanon | 19:30 | Bengaluru |
| June 27 | Nepal vs Pakistan | 15:30 | Bengaluru |
| June 27 | India vs Kuwait | 19:30 | Bengaluru |
| June 28 | Lebanon vs Maldives | 15:30 | Bengaluru |
| June 28 | Bhutan vs Bangladesh | 19:30 | Bengaluru |
| July 1 | Semi-final | 15:30 | Bengaluru |
| July 1 | Semi-final | 19:30 | Bengaluru |
| July 4 | Final | 19:30 | Bengaluru |
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