Bangladesh will host the 12th edition of the Saff Championship in 2017 following the decision of the Executive Body during a meeting in Kerala, India yesterday.
Bangladesh, who previously hosted south Asia’s most prestigious tournament twice in 2003 and 2009, won the battle after Bhutan withdrew their name in the eleventh hour while another contender, Maldives, failed to convince title sponsor World Sports Group with their bid.
The tournament was originally scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan but owing to political turmoil and security concerns, a decision to change the venue was taken by the Executive Body.
Although Bangladesh Football Federation president Kazi Salahuddin Ahmed, also the chairman of Saff, was absent during yesterday’s Congress, the Executive Body announced the verdict in favour of Bangladesh.
The tournament will be played in December, 2017 and will probably be contested by seven nations – hosts Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal and Bhutan – as Afghanistan have decided to move to the Central Asian Football Association from Saff.