2009 SAFF Championship

The 2009 South Asian Football Federation Championship was hosted by Bangladesh from 4 to 13 December 2009. Bangladesh was awarded to host the tournament after the withdrawal of original hosts India.

2009 SAFF Championship

Tournament details
Host country	Bangladesh
Dates	4–13 December
Teams	8
Venue(s)	1 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions	India U23 (5th title)
Runners-up	Maldives
Tournament statistics
Matches played	15
Goals scored	42 (2.8 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Enamul Haque Ahmed Thariq E.B. Channa (4 goals each)
Best player(s)	Arindam Bhattacharya

After India's reluctance to host the tournament, in May 2009, at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) president Kazi Salahuddin on his return from the AFC Congress informed that although India were still retaining their status as hosts of the championship, Bangladesh and Nepal had turned in fresh bids in anticipation of staging this prestigious eight-nation meet.

A decision was taken at the FIFA Congress in Bahamas in the first week of June[1] but no announcement was officially made. In July, with the tournament drawing ever closer, media reports once again suggested that the tournament would be moved once again to Bangladesh, as Pakistan would struggle to obtain visas if the tournament is hosted in India.[2]

On 31 August 2009, it was reported that the tournament would be held in Bangladesh, after the Indian football association (AIFF) had its annual congress at the end of August. This was formally confirmed by the AFC on 10 September through a press release.[3]