Ahmed Tariq, President of the Football Association of Maldives (FAM), has announced that the association has successfully resolved its outstanding issues with the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF), securing the opportunity to host the SAFF U-20 Championship in the Maldives. The dispute was settled following FAM’s payment of $75,000 owed to SAFF. Despite interest from India to host the tournament, SAFF has officially awarded the hosting rights to the Maldives.
The championship is scheduled to be held at the Galolhu National Stadium, where the Maldives has been placed in Group A alongside Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka. The Maldives will play its opening match against Sri Lanka on March 23, with the tournament final slated for April 3. As part of the preparations for this regional competition, the Diamond Jubilee Football Tournament is currently being held in the Maldives.
