Sri Lanka to field men’s and women’s teams at inaugural futsal

 A futsal match in Sri Lanka

By Susil Premalal

Sri Lanka will field both a men’s and a women’s team at the upcoming South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Inaugural Futsal  Championship 2026, according to a decision made by the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL).

The tournament is scheduled to take place from January 14–26, 2026, in Bangkok, Thailand as confirmed under SAFF regulations.
This marks the first time in Sri Lanka’s football history that both the men’s and women’s futsal teams will represent the nation together at an international competition.

FFSL President Jaswar Umar said football authorities in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan and Pakistan have all agreed to field men’s and women’s teams at the inaugural championship.

Based on the performances displayed during the event, FFSL is also planning to introduce Sri Lankan futsal teams at Asian-level competitions under the AFC from 2026 onwards.

To prepare for the tournament, FFSL has already commenced training sessions for both squads with the final selections expected to be completed before December 25.

The creation of the SAFF futsal championship was first confirmed in May 2025, with all member associations officially notified. The competition aims to provide greater exposure and competitive opportunities for South Asian futsal teams which had limited participation and success in AFC tournaments.