The SAFF U-15/U-16/U-17 Championship is an annual international football competition contested by the national teams of the members of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). The first edition was held as SAFF U-16 Championship, where most teams sent their U-15 team, keeping in mind AFC U-17 Asian Cup hold every following years to SAFF U-16 Championship. In the 2017 edition, it was held as SAFF U-15 Championship and the subsequent 2022 edition, the SAFF U-17 Championship was introduced. The first edition of the tournament took place in Nepal in August 2011. The competition was launched under the leadership of SAFF President Kazi Salahuddin who was elected in 2009.

Results

ChampionScoreRunner-upThird placeScoreFourth place
Ed.YearCat.HostFinalThird place playoffNo. of teams
12011U-16NepalPakistan2–1IndiaNepal2–1Bangladesh6
22013NepalIndia1–0NepalBangladesh1–0Afghanistan7
32015BangladeshBangladesh1–1 (4–2 p)IndiaAfghanistan and Nepal6
42017U-15NepalIndia2–1NepalBangladesh8–0Bhutan6
52018NepalBangladesh1–1 (3–2 p)PakistanIndia1–0Nepal6
62019IndiaIndia7–0NepalBangladeshRRSri Lanka5
72022U-17Sri LankaIndia4–0NepalBangladesh and Sri Lanka6
82023U-16BhutanIndia2–0BangladeshPakistan and Maldives6
92024U-17BhutanIndia2–0BangladeshNepal and Pakistan7
102025Sri LankaIndia2–2 (4–1 p)BangladeshPakistan and Nepal7
112026Pakistan

Participating nations

Legend

  • 1st – Champions
  • 2nd – Runners-up
  • 3rd – Third place
  • 4th – Fourth place
  • SF – Semifinals
  • GS – Group stage
  • q – Qualified for upcoming tournament
  • — Hosts
  • × – Did not enter
  • • – Did not qualify
  • × – Withdrew before qualification
  • — Withdrew/Disqualified after qualification
  • — Not part of SAFF
TeamNepal 2011Nepal 2013Bangladesh 2015Nepal 2017Nepal 2018India 2019Sri Lanka 2022Bhutan 2023Bhutan 2024Sri Lanka 2025Total
Bangladesh4th3rd1st3rd1st3rdSF2nd2nd2nd10
Bhutan×GS×4thGSGSGSGSGSGS8
India2nd1st2nd1st3rd1st1st1st1st1st10
MaldivesGS×GSGSGS×GSSFGSGS8
Nepal3rd2ndSF2nd4th2nd2ndGSSFSF10
Pakistan1stGS××2nd××SFSFSF6
Sri LankaGSGSGSGS×GSSF×GSGS8
Former member
Afghanistan×4thSFNot part of SAFF2

Performance by nation

  • Bold: Indicates host.
NationChampionsRunners-upThird-placeFourth-placeSemi-finalists
India7 (2013, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)2 (2011, 2015)1 (2018)—N/a—N/a
Bangladesh2 (2015, 2018)3 (2023, 2024, 2025)3 (2013, 2017, 2019)1 (2011)1 (2022)
Pakistan1 (2011)1 (2018)—N/a—N/a3 (2023, 2024, 2025)
Nepal—N/a4 (2013, 2017, 2019, 2022)1 (2011)1 (2018)3 (2015, 2024, 2025)
Afghanistan—N/a—N/a—N/a1 (2013)1 (2015)
Bhutan—N/a—N/a—N/a1 (2017)—N/a
Sri Lanka—N/a—N/a—N/a—N/a1 (2022)
Maldives—N/a—N/a—N/a—N/a1 (2023)

Awards

YearTop scorer(s)GoalsBest playerFair play award
2011Pakistan national under-17 football team Mohammad Bilal4Pakistan national under-17 football team Mansoor KhanNot awarded
2013Nepal national under-17 football team Bimal Magar6India national under-17 football team Krishna Pandit
2015India national under-17 football team Saurabh Meher3Bangladesh national under-17 football team Sarwan Zaman NipuNepal
2017Bangladesh national under-17 football team Foysal Ahmed Fahim6India national under-17 football team Vikram Pratap SinghBangladesh
2018Bangladesh national under-17 football team Nihat Jaman Ucchash4Pakistan national under-17 football team Haseeb KhanBangladesh
2019India national under-17 football team Himanshu Jangra7India national under-17 football team Himanshu JangraBangladesh
2022Bangladesh national under-17 football team Mirajul Islam India national under-17 football team Thanglalsoun Gangte Nepal national under-17 football team Unesh Budhathoki4Not awardedNot awarded
2023India national under-17 football team Md Arbash3India national under-17 football team Md ArbashPakistan
2024Nepal national under-17 football team Sujan Dangol4India national under-17 football team Md ArbashBhutan
2025Pakistan Muhammad Abdullah6Bangladesh Nazmul FaysalIndia

See also