Recently, India won the title by defeating Kuwait 5-4 in the final match of the SAFF Championship 2023 played at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru in the men’s football team.
India, ranked 100th in the latest FIFA rankings, won the ninth SAFF Championship out of 14 editions. The victory was their second in a row after winning the Intercontinental Cup last month.
India remained undefeated during the SAFF Championship 2023 while acting as the host. They beat Pakistan and Nepal in the group stage, while drawing with Kuwait.
In the semi-finals they defeated Lebanon in a penalty shootout and repeated the same feat against Kuwait in the final. Apart from the medals, the team was given a cash prize of US$50,000, which is equivalent to Rs 41 lakh.
In the SAFF Championship 2023, Kuwait football team got the award for being the runner-up. While all the players received medals, the team also received a check of US$ 25,000, which is approximately 20 lakh and 50 thousand in Indian currency.
Tournament Winner:
| Prize | The recipient |
| Fairplay Award | Nepal Football Team |
| Best Goalkeeper | Anisur Rahman Jiko |
| Highest Goal-Scorer | Sunil Chhetri (6 goals) |
| Most Valuable Player (MVP) | Sunil Chhetri |
| Runner | Top Kuwait Football Team |
Some Facts About SAFF Football Championship:
The SAFF Football Championship, also known as the South Asian Football Federation Championship, is a biennial international football tournament contested by the national teams of South Asian countries.
The aim of the championship is to promote and develop football in the region. Here is a brief history of the SAFF Football Championship
1993: The SAFF Championship was inaugurated in Lahore, Pakistan. India became the champion by defeating the hosts Pakistan in the final.
Where was the SAFF Championship inaugurated for the first time?
SAFF Championship was inaugurated in 1993 in Lahore, Pakistan.
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