The future of South Asian Football Federation(SAFF) looms over uncertainty as India, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are set to move out of SAFF. The five federation representatives, including Kushal Das from AIFF, attended the meeting along with Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Yemen and Oman from the West Asian block to join the newly formed South-West Asian Football Federation(SWAFF).
The federation representatives from SAFF and WAFF, came together on Thursday night to form the South-West Asian Football Federation in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with plans reportedly afoot to create ‘the largest Asian tournament in the region’.Nepal and Bhutan were the notable absentees from SAFF region along with Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Qatar out of the new Southwest Asian Football Federation.
The formation of SWAFF is speculated to be fuelled by the discord in the West Asian Football Federation, with its Jordanian president Prince Ali bin Al Hussian reluctant to move the headquarters of the body from Amman to Jeddah.
This development is stoked by Saudi Arabia’s ambition to dominate the Asian Football Confederation and emerge as a Federation body in the region led by Saudi Arabian FA chief Adel Ezzat until its first general assembly which will be held after the World Cup.
With the emergence of South-West Asian Football Federation, the fate of SAFF confederation body hangs in balance as the upcoming SAFF Championship could be the final edition should the South Asian block disbands SAFF and moves to SWAFF.
AIFF secretary refused to comment on the development and commented “I am not authorised to talk about it,”
The future of South Asian Football Federation(SAFF) lurks in uncertainty as India, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are set to move out of SAFF. The five federation representatives from SAFF, including Kushal Das from AIFF, attended the meeting along with Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Yemen and Oman from the West Asian block.
If, SWAFF takes the Federation leader role in South and West Asia the football scene in the region could take a major rejig and challenge the workings of AFC in the region, something which would unfold with time.