KASKI, Jan 31: The South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) U-19 Women’s Championship is beginning on Saturday at the Pokhara Stadium.
The opening match will be played between Bangladesh and Bhutan at 12:00 noon. Likewise, host Nepal will face India in the second match of the day, scheduled to kick off at 3:00 PM.
According to the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA), four teams: Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and Bhutan are competing for the title.
U19 SAFF Championship: Nepal advances to semi-final
At a pre-match press conference held in Pokhara on Friday, captains and coaches from all participating teams expressed confidence in delivering their best performances and shared their hopes of clinching the title.
Nepal U-19 Women’s team head coach Suman Shrestha said the team is committed to achieving positive results. “Our preparations have gone well, and we are determined to deliver our best performance on home ground with the support of our supporters,” he said, adding that all participating teams are competitive and capable of winning the title.
Team Captain Sushila KC said the squad learned a great deal during a short training period and expressed confidence that they would give their best performance at home.
Bangladesh U-19 head coach Peter Butler said the championship provides a valuable opportunity for learning and development for young players. Similarly, India’s head coach Pamela Conti said she is hopeful her team will perform well and is aiming to win the title, adding that the match against Nepal will be challenging.
Bhutan U-19 head coach Tanka Maya Ghalley said her team is not only focused on winning the trophy but also on improving overall performance, adding that the team has prepared well for the tournament.
The tournament, coordinated by the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) and hosted by ANFA, will be played in a round-robin league format, in which each team will face the other once. The top two teams from the league stage will advance to the final, scheduled for February 7.
The entry fee is set at Rs 200 for the general parapet and Rs 500 for the VIP parapet. The total cost of organizing the tournament is estimated at Rs 24.5 million.
