The Indian U-17 men’s football team will begin their South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) U-17 Championship 2025 campaign against the Maldives in Group B on Tuesday at the Racecourse International Stadium in Colombo.
This year’s edition features all seven South Asian nations. Group A comprises hosts Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh, while Group B has India, Maldives, Bhutan and Pakistan. The top two teams from each group will progress to the semi-finals on September 25, with the final scheduled for September 27. India go into the tournament as defending champions, having beaten Bangladesh 2-0 in last year’s final in Bhutan.
Coach Bibiano Fernandes, who is chasing a record fifth SAFF title, has been at the helm of several age-group triumphs, including India’s SAFF U-19 title win earlier this year in Arunachal Pradesh and the U-17 Championship in Sri Lanka in 2022. Entrusted with guiding the current U-17 batch of players born in 2009 or later, Fernandes said the squad had worked hard during their preparation camp.
“The players have spent nearly two months in Goa undergoing rigorous training. We are delighted to be here in Sri Lanka, and we also appreciate the hosts’ warm hospitality,” Fernandes said, as quoted by the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
The 23-member squad was selected after a scouting process that began in July with a pool of 86 players. “We cast the net as wide as possible to ensure depth and provide opportunities. The past two months have been about gelling as a unit. We’ve used this time not only to prepare for SAFF but also to gear up for the AFC U-17 Asian Cup Qualifiers that lie ahead,” Fernandes said.
Midfielder and captain Wangkhem Denny Singh echoed his coach’s views. “We worked really hard during the last two months in Goa, and we are prepared to give our best here,” he said.
India’s opening opponents, Maldives, arrived after a two-week camp. Their coach, Sabah Mohamed Ibrahim, admitted his side lacked international exposure but said facing India was a challenge in itself. “India are the favourite nation in this group. They have been winning consistently and have the strongest setup. For us, India are the benchmark team here,” he said.
After Maldives, India will play Bhutan on September 19 and Pakistan on September 22 in the group stage. While defending their crown remains the immediate focus, Fernandes is also looking ahead to the AFC U-17 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers scheduled in Ahmedabad this November.