The India Under-17 men’s team is set to begin its SAFF U-17 Championship 2025 campaign against the Maldives in Group B on Tuesday at the Racecourse International Stadium in Colombo.
India is the defending champion, having won the SAFF U-17 title in Bhutan last year after beating Bangladesh 2-0 in the final.
All seven SAFF nations are taking part in this year’s edition. Group A consists of host Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bangladesh, while Group B will see the Blue Colts go up against Maldives, Bhutan, and Pakistan. The top two from each will advance to the semifinals on September 25.
The final will be held on September 27.
The Blue Colts’ head coach, Bibiano Fernandes, is gunning for his record fifth SAFF title, the fourth one coming as recently as May 2025, when he led India to the SAFF U-19 title in Arunachal Pradesh. He was also in charge of the Indian side that lifted the SAFF U-17 Championship 2022 in Sri Lanka.
Amid the excitement of defending the crown, Fernandes stressed the need to stay focussed and grounded. “We would like to focus on the present rather than the past. Right now, we are only thinking about the first match against the Maldives. We will give our best and take each match as it comes,” he said.
Captain Wangkhem Denny Singh, who plays in midfield, echoed the tinges of his coach’s words. “We worked really hard during the last two months in Goa, and we are prepared to give our best here,” said the skipper.
When and where will the India vs Maldives SAFF U17 Championship match start?
The India vs Maldives SAFF U17 Championship match will start at 3 PM IST, Tuesday, September 16, at the Racecourse International Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
How to watch the India vs Maldives SAFF U17 Championship match?
The India vs Maldives SAFF U17 Championship match will be streamed live on the Sportzworkz YouTube Channel.
Published on Sep 16, 2025