SAFF extraordinary congress held

The South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Extraordinary Congress 2025 concluded with a commitment from all member associations of the federation to remain united for the development of football in the region.

The congress, held in Colombo on Friday, was graced by the presence of AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa who called for greater unity for the benefit of all, according to a press release.

The AFC President said: "Strong and stable leadership is essential for the continued growth of football, and I trust that this congress makes decisions that best serve the future of the game in the region."

Earlier, the congress agreed to remove Article 31.5 from the SAFF Statutes 2022 related to age restriction.

SAFF President Kazi Md Salahuddin thanked the AFC president Jaswar Umar, also the president of the Sri Lanka Football Federation, and the participating member associations for their support to grow the game in the region.

He was of the view that to be on par with the rest of the countries of Asia, the children of today need to be given more exposure. "SAFF will ensure more competition in the future and govern the region better so that our children are more competitive," he added.