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.