Bangladesh to host 15th SAFF Cup

By Susil Premalal

All South Asian nations have reached a preliminary agreement to award the hosting rights of the upcoming 15th edition of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Cup to Bangladesh, marking a significant development for the region’s premier football tournament.
The tournament is expected to be held during June–July 2026 in Dhaka, with member countries giving their initial consent for Bangladesh to host the event. The final decision is scheduled to be formally announced at the forthcoming SAFF Council Meeting.
The SAFF Cup, first launched in 1993 and traditionally conducted once every two years, was initially planned to be staged in 2025 with Sri Lanka playing a central role. Under the earlier format, each participating nation was to host three group-stage matches, while the semi-finals and final were to be played in Colombo. However, concerns over high operational costs and sponsorship-related challenges led SAFF officials to reconsider the format.
As a result, the 2025 edition has been postponed to 2026, with organisers opting to revert to the traditional single-host format. Sri Lanka has also expressed its agreement with this revised plan.
If confirmed, this will be the fourth occasion Bangladesh hosts the SAFF Cup, having previously staged the tournament in 2003, 2009, and 2018. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, has hosted the event twice — in 1995 in Colombo and in 2008 as part of a joint hosting arrangement with the Maldives. Sri Lanka also lifted its only SAFF Cup title in 1995.
Historically, India has dominated the SAFF Cup, winning the championship a record nine times. Other past winners include the Maldives, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.
Despite currently being ranked 193rd in the FIFA World Rankings, Sri Lanka is widely tipped by regional observers as a strong contender for the upcoming SAFF Cup. The growing confidence stems from the increasing presence of overseas-based players of Sri Lankan origin who now represent the national team, significantly strengthening the squad.
With renewed optimism surrounding Sri Lankan football and Bangladesh poised to provide the stage, the 15th SAFF Cup promises to be a highly anticipated event in South Asian sport.