Fixtures for SAFF U-15 Championship 2019 announced

The tournament will kickoff on August 21 in Kalyani, West Bengal.

South Asian Football Federation announced the fixture for the 2019 edition of the SAFF U-15 Championship on Tuesday. The 2019 SAFF U-15 Championship will be the sixth edition of the competition. Organized by South Asian Football Federation (SAFF), it is an international football competition that will be held in Kalyani, India from August 21 and will continue until the winner is decided on August 31.

For the 2019 edition, players born on or after January 1, 2004 are eligible to participate in this tournament. The previous edition was held in Nepal and Bangladesh won the tournament with Pakistan finishing second while India ended up in the third place.

2019 SAFF U-15 Championship fixture

This year five South Asian countries are taking part- Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan. Maldives and Pakistan will not be taking part in the tournament in this year's edition.

In the opening fixture on 21st August, this year’s hosts India will play against last edition’s hosts Nepal followed by Bhutan taking on Sri Lanka at the same venue. Following a day’s rest, action will resume on 23rd August where Bhutan have a game against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will face Nepal. India will play their second game against Bhutan on 25th August while Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will face off against each other. On 27th August, India have a game against Sri Lanka while Nepal have a game against Bangladesh. On the final day of the group stage games, Bhutan will face Nepal and India will face Bangladesh.

The top two teams from the group will then qualify for the final which will be held on the 31st August 2019.

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Of the teams participating this year, Bangladesh and India have each won the SAFF U-15 Championship twice. Bangladesh U-15 National Football Team became champions in 2015 and 2018 while India U-15 National Football Team were winners in 2013 and 2017. Nepal U-15 National Football Team’s best finish was finishing runners-up in 2013 and 2017. Bhutan’s best finish was finishing fourth place while Sri Lanka U-15 National Football Team has never made it past the group stage.

India’s U-15 national team is currently in Thailand under the coaching of Bibiano Fernandes where they are supposed to play four preparatory friendlies.