COLOMBO, March 18, (ePRESS) – Sri Lanka’s under-19 football team will take on three-time champions India in their first match of the 7th SAFF U-19 Championship, to be held at the Golden Jubilee Stadium in Yupia, India, from May 9 to 18.
The tournament, organized by the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF), will feature six teams—hosts India, Sri Lanka, defending champions Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, and Nepal.
Sri Lanka, making their fourth appearance in the competition, has yet to progress beyond the group stage, with their best finishes coming in 2019 and 2022. In the official draw held on March 11, Sri Lanka was placed in Group B alongside India and Nepal, while Group A features Bangladesh, Maldives, and Bhutan.
The Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) has launched an extensive talent identification program, conducting training camps across all nine provinces. Players selected from these camps will undergo final trials at Beddagana on March 27, 28, and 29, after which a provisional 30-member squad will be formed. The squad will then be trimmed to a final 23 before the tournament.
Former Sri Lanka captain and former National Coach Dudley Steinwall, Head of Youth at FFSL, emphasized the importance of the selection process.
“We are casting a wide net to find the best young talent from all corners of the country,” Steinwall told. “Our focus is on identifying players with technical ability and tactical awareness who can compete at the highest level. Playing against a team like India will be a big challenge, but it’s also an opportunity for our boys to prove themselves.”
Bangladesh are the reigning title holders after clinching their maiden championship with a dominant 4-1 victory over Nepal in the 2024 final. Meanwhile, India remains the most successful team in the tournament’s history, having lifted the trophy in 2019, 2022, and 2023.
