India to host 2015 SAFF Cup

Kathmandu: India will host the 2015 edition of the SAFF football tournament, it was decided in the executive committee meeting of the South Asian body here on Wednesday.

The meeting did not finalise the host city for the tournament but said it will be held in either New Delhi or Kerala. World Sports Group (WSG), commercial partner of SAFF, said it wants the tournament to be held in India alternately. "India will host the 2015 SAFF Cup but the venue will be decided later. The fight is in between Delhi and Kerala to host the tournament," SAFF`s general secretary Alberto Colaco said after the meeting held on the sidelines of the ongoing SAFF Championship here. The South Asian football body also announced a new tournament -- SAFF Club Cup Championship that is expected to begin next year. "We have planned a new tournament -- SAFF Club Cup Championship -- from next year. The proposed date is August 2014 but it is not final. It will depend on our sponsors WSG who will respond in two months time," Colaco said. "The tournament will be held in one venue for about two weeks days at a stretch between eight club champions of SAFF countries," he added. Among other major decisions taken in the meeting, the hosting rights for next year`s women`s SAFF Cup has been awarded to Pakistan. "We are also planning a new Under-19 SAFF Championship for boys," Colaco informed. Colaco also said that Bangladesh Football Federation president Kazi Md Salahuddin is likely to continue as SAFF president for another four years. It was also learnt that Colaco wants statues of SAFF to be changed. All India Football Federation (AIFF) secretary Kushal Das represented India in the meeting. PTI