About SAFF

From the Grassroots to Glory: The SAFF Journey

Driving regional football growth with shared purpose

Where South Asia Comes Together to Celebrate, Compete, and Grow the Beautiful Game

From its early days under P. P. Lakshman, SAFF has proved the true meaning of its motto "Unity in Strength." As the tournaments have shown, football can become a force that brings nations together, turning rivalries into respect and borders into bonds.
Ganesh Thapa succeeded P.P Lakshman and served as SAFF President from 2001 to 2009, further shaping the foundation of regional cooperation through football. Currently serving as SAFF President, Kazi Md. Salahuddin continues to drive the federation’s growth and regional impact since 2009.
Its flagship tournament, the SAFF Championship, brings together the men’s national teams of all Member Associations and traces its roots back to 1993, when the inaugural edition was held in Lahore as the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Gold Cup.
Our Commitments

Advancing football through integrity, inclusivity, development, and shared purpose.

Our commitment is to realize SAFF’s commitments below and achieve the best results by being competent with the highest organizational values and upholding governance, transparency, and accountability up to the mark.

Improve, develop and promote football in the region. Ensure fair play and its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values. Introduce and implement youth and development programmes for all stakeholders in our Member Associations through projects and workshops. Protect the best interests of our Member Associations and the game of football.

Foster friendly relationships between Member Associations, FIFA, AFC and other Regional Associations across Asia.

Organise and manage football competitions of all types and categories in the region to ensure football is available and resourced to everyone in the region regardless of gender or age. Promote the development of women’s football and the full participation of women at all levels in the region, including in governance and technical roles.

Promote integrity, ethics and fair play with a view to preventing all methods or practices, relating to corruption, doping or match manipulation, which might jeopardise the integrity of matches, competitions, players, officials and Member Associations or give rise to the abuse of football, including instituting strong measures and campaigns against bribery, corruption, drugs and racism in Football in the Region

Implement to draw up regulations and provisions governing the game of football and all related matters and ensure their enforcement, at all times in accordance with the statutes, regulations, directives and decisions of FIFA and the AFC.

SAFF Executive Committee

The SAFF Executive Committee guides the federation’s vision, governance, and regional unity to advance football across South Asia.
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Kazi Md. Salahuddin

President, SAFF
Message:

The South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) has made remarkable progress over the years. Reflecting on our journey, I recall a time when SAFF was recognized solely for the SAFF Championship. Today, however, we have evolved into a dynamic organization dedicated to the holistic growth and development of football throughout the region.

We now proudly host a diverse array of tournaments across all major age groups and for both men and women. This expansion has not only engaged our youth but has also created livelihoods and inspired thousands of young footballers to dream big.

SAFF has also prioritized strengthening the capabilities of our member associations. We have organized numerous capacity-building courses and seminars, led by industry experts and tailored to the unique cultural contexts and challenges of South Asia. These educational initiatives are thoughtfully designed to provide practical solutions and foster sustainable development.

To ensure the safety and well-being of our young talents, we have introduced a comprehensive safeguarding policy. This policy addresses the everyday challenges faced by youth players and aims to create a secure, nurturing environment that encourages more children to fall in love with the beautiful game.

Integrity remains a core value at SAFF. Through good governance, we are committed to maintaining transparency and inclusivity in all our operations.

We firmly believe that football in South Asia is undergoing a remarkable transformation, and SAFF is proud to be at the forefront—guiding this change for the betterment of the sport we all cherish.

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Mr. Sundar Narshing Joshi

Vice President, SAFF
Message:

We at SAFF work to achieve our overarching principle to improve, develop and promote football in South Asia, we do these with various youth and development programmes keeping in mind the principle of fair play and by blending educational, cultural and humanitarian values. Currently, the entire region has been plagued by the pandemic and we have.

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Dr. Shaji Prabhakaran

SAFF Executive Committee Member representing AFC
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Mr. Ali Umar

SAFF Executive Member

SAFF Secretariat

The SAFF Secretariat serves as the administrative backbone, ensuring smooth coordination and execution of all federation activities.
GS SAFF KATTEL SIR
Purushottam Kattel
General Secretary
Message:

At the South Asian Football Federation, we are deeply committed to developing the sport across our vibrant region. South Asia is a rich tapestry of cultures, races, religions, and terrains—a place where diverse communities have coexisted and thrived for centuries.

With its vast population and untapped potential, South Asia has all the ingredients to become a powerhouse in Asian football and beyond.

The South Asian Football Federation has spared no effort in striving to realize this vision. While we have faced various obstacles along the way, the unwavering support of our stakeholders has enabled us to overcome them.

We recognize that our efforts may not always be sufficient, and that new approaches may be needed to spread the game from the beaches of the Maldives to the high mountains of Bhutan.

Nevertheless, we remain steadfast in our commitment to embracing new ideas and technologies to enrich our beloved game. Our communities are diverse, and so are our approaches—but our goal remains unchanged. Our motto, “Strength in Unity,” will continue to guide us on our journey toward achieving our shared aspirations.

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Tanjim
Tanjim Ahmed Khan
Head of Legal
Asif
Syed Asif Hussain
Head of Competitions
Ayush
Ayush Khadka
Head of Media & Communications
Rubaiyat
Rubaiyat Ahsan
Head of Finance
Subha
Subha Rahman
Head of HR & Planning & Competitions Manager
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Fatimatuz Jahara Esha
Head of Safeguarding & Social Responsibility
Jigme
Jigme Gyletshen
Head of International Relations

SAFF Standing Committees

SAFF Executive Committee guides the federation’s vision, governance, and regional unity to advance football across South Asia.

SAFF Development Committee

Mr. Kazi Md. Salahuddin
Chairperson  | Bangladesh
Mr. Malojiraje Shahu Chhatrapati
Deputy Chairperson | India
Mr. Hishey Tshering
Member | Bhutan
Mr. Hussain Jawaz
Member | Maldives
Mr. Shree Krishna Karki
Member | Nepal

SAFF Competitions Committee

Mr. Sundar Narshing Joshi
Chairperson | Nepal
Mr. Md. Amer Khan
Deputy Chairperson | Bangladesh
Mr. Jigme Tshewang
Member | Bhutan
Dr. Caitano Jose Fernandes
Member | India
Mr. Mufaviz Hashim
Member | Maldives

SAFF Marketing and Communications Committee

Dr. Shaji Prabhakaran
Chairperson | India
Mr. Pema Dorji
Deputy Chairperson | Bhutan
Mr. Md. Mahi Uddin Ahmed (Saleem)
Member | Bangladesh
Mr. Sushil Subedi
Member | Nepal

SAFF Finance Committee

Mr. Ugyen Wangchhuk
Bhutan
Mr. Kipa Ajay
Deputy Chairperson | India
Mr. Zakir Hossain Chowdhury
Member | Bangladesh
Mr. Mohamed Ageel
Member | Maldives
Mr. Bijaya Kumar Gupta
Member | Nepal

SAFF Independent Committees

The Independent Committee provides objective oversight to protect the federation’s credibility and fairness.

Disciplinary and Ethics Committee 

Mr. Gursimran Brar
Chairperson | India
Mr. Madhu Sudhan Upadhyay
Deputy Chairperson | Nepal
Mr. Mesbah Uddin
Member | Bangladesh
Mr. Namgay Dorji
Member | Bhutan
Mr. Muhuthaz Muhusin
Member | Maldives
Mr. Chamath Jayasekara
Member | Sri Lanka

Appeal Committee

Mr. S. Maharoof
Chairperson | Sri Lanka
Mr. Ismail Zumayl Rasheed
Deputy Chairperson | Maldives
Mr. Anwar Faruque
Member | Bangladesh
Mr. Phuntsho Gyaltshen Dorji
Member | Bhutan
Ms. Kumudavalli Seetharaman
Member | India
Mr. Nava Raj Thapaliya
Member | Nepal

Electoral Committee

Mr. Gursimran Brar
Chairperson | India
Mr. Phuntsho Gyaltshen Dorji
Deputy Chairperson | Bhutan
Mr. Mesbah Uddin
Member | Bangladesh
Mr. Madhu Sudhan Upadhyay
Member | Nepal
Mr. S. Maharoof
Member | Sri Lanka