SAFF Women's Championship

SAFF Women's Championship
Organiser(s)SAFF
Founded2010 (2010)
RegionSouth Asia
Teams
7
Related competitionsSAFF Championship
Current champions Bangladesh
(2nd title)
Most championships India (5 titles)
BroadcasterFanCode
Websitesaffederation.org
2026 SAFF Women's Championship

The SAFF Women's Championship, also called the South Asian Football Federation Women's Cup, is a competition for women's national football teams governed by the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). All seven members are eligible to participate in the tournament.

History

The current SAFF members are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Formerly, eight members used to compete against each other, until Afghanistan departed. It is held approximately every two years. India won first 5 editions, beating Nepal four times and Bangladesh once in the final.[1][2][3]

Results

Ed. Year Host Final Losing semi-finalists No. of
teams
Champion Score Runner-up
1 2010 Bangladesh
India
1–0
Nepal
 Bangladesh and  Pakistan 8
2 2012 Sri Lanka
India
3–1
Nepal
 Afghanistan and  Sri Lanka 8
3 2014 Pakistan
India
6–0
Nepal
 Bangladesh and  Sri Lanka 8
4 2016 India
India
3–1
Bangladesh
 Maldives and  Nepal 7
5 2019   Nepal
India
3–1
Nepal
 Bangladesh and  Sri Lanka 6
6 2022   Nepal
Bangladesh
3–1
Nepal
 Bhutan and  India 7
7 2024   Nepal
Bangladesh
2–1
Nepal
 Bhutan and  India 7
8 2026 India

Teams reaching the top four

Nation Champions Runners-up Semi-finalists
 India 5 (2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2019) 2 (2022, 2024)
 Bangladesh 2 (2022, 2024) 1 (2016) 3 (2010, 2014, 2019)
 Nepal 6 (2010, 2012, 2014, 2019, 2022, 2024) 1 (2016)
 Sri Lanka 3 (2012, 2014, 2019)
 Bhutan 2 (2022, 2024)
 Afghanistan* 1 (2012)
 Maldives 1 (2016)
 Pakistan 1 (2012)
Bold = Hosts
* = Not part of SAFF anymore

Overall team records

In this ranking 3 points are awarded for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss. As per statistical convention in football, matches decided in extra time are counted as wins and losses, while matches decided by penalty shoot-outs are counted as draws. Teams are ranked by total points, then by goal difference, then by goals scored.

As of 2024 SAFF Women's Championship
Rank Team Part Pld W D L GF GA Dif Pts
1  India 7 30 25 2 3 157 16 +141 77
2  Nepal 7 32 23 2 7 133 23 +110 71
3  Bangladesh 7 27 16 2 9 74 37 +37 50
4  Sri Lanka 7 25 8 1 16 22 74 –52 25
5  Pakistan 5 15 5 1 9 23 53 –30 16
6  Maldives 7 21 3 2 16 14 100 –86 11
7  Bhutan 7 21 3 1 17 26 97 –71 10
8  Afghanistan 4 12 1 2 9 10 67 –57 5

Results by tournament

Legend
  • 1st – Champions
  • 2nd – Runners-up
  • 3rd – Third place
  • 4th – Fourth place
  • SF – Semifinals
  • GS – Group stage
  • dq – Disqualified/Suspended by FIFA/AFC/SAFF
  • q – Qualified for upcoming tournament
  •     — Hosts
  •  ×  – Did not enter
  •  ×  – Withdrew before tournament begins
  •     — Not part of SAFF
Team
2010

2012

2014

2016

2019

2022

2024
Total
 Bangladesh SF GS SF 2nd SF 1st 1st 7
 Bhutan GS GS GS GS GS SF SF 7
 India 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st SF SF 7
 Nepal 2nd 2nd 2nd SF 2nd 2nd 2nd 7
 Maldives GS GS GS SF GS GS GS 7
 Pakistan SF GS GS × × GS GS 5
 Sri Lanka GS SF SF GS SF GS GS 7
Former team(s)
 Afghanistan GS SF GS GS Not part of SAFF 4

Overall top goalscorers

Name Goals
Ngangom Bala Devi 27
Sabina Khatun 26

Anu Lama

22
Sabitra Bhandari 21
Sasmita Mallick 20
Jamuna Gurung 17
Kamala Devi 17
Sajana Rana 10

Deki Lhazom

10

Rekha Poudel

8

Winning coaches

Year Team Coach
2010  India Mohammad Shahid Jabbar
2012
2014 Tarun Roy
2016 Sajid Dar
2019 Maymol Rocky
2022  Bangladesh Golam Robbani
2024 Peter Butler

Awards

The following awards are given at the conclusion of the tournament.[4]

Year Most Valuable Player Top scorer(s) Best goalkeeper Fair play award
Player(s) Goals
2010 Bala Devi Sasmita Malik 13 Not awarded Not awarded
2012 Yumnam Kamala Devi Jamuna Gurung 8
2014 Sabina Khatun Bala Devi 16  Maldives
2016 Indumathi Kathiresan Sabitra Bhandari 12  Nepal
2019 Grace Dangmei Sabitra Bhandari
Indumathi Kathiresan
4  Bangladesh
2022 Sabina Khatun Sabina Khatun 8 Rupna Chakma  Bangladesh
2024 Ritu Porna Chakma Deki Lhazom 8 Rupna Chakma  Bhutan

See also

References

  1. ^ "GoalNepal.com - A Complete Nepali Football website". Goalnepal.com. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  2. ^ "Ranjith Rodrigo appointed acting President of SAFF". Dailynews.lk. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  3. ^ "Bangladesh women make history, clinch maiden SAFF title". The Daily Star. 19 September 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  4. ^ "BANGLADESH WIN MAIDEN SAFF WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE". saffederation.org. 19 September 2022. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2022.