First-ever SAFF Women's Cup in December

There is some very good news for women's football in South Asia. The first-ever South Asian Football Federation organised SAFF Women's Championships will be held from December 3 to 10, 2010 in the Bangladeshi city of Cox's Bazar. But the number of participating countries is unclear at the moment.

In the 11th South Asian Games held earlier this year in Dhaka only five of the eight SAFF member countries send their women's football teams to participate. The women's football competition in the SA Games was held for the first time and expectedly India won the gold medal; but the Maldives, Bhutan and Afghanistan did not send their teams. If they will do so for the SAFF Women's Championships will have to be seen and accordingly the schedule of the tournament will be put together, be it as a round robin tournament or a league format.

Some in SAFF have raised questions if it would be right to organise the first SAFF Women's Championships in a Muslim nation as there has been criticism and protest against women's football in Bangladesh, but the federation things it would be the right step and a good sign for South Asia's women.

The South Asian Football Federation is made up of eight nations - Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. And since 1993 the SAFF Cup for Men is being held. Originally it was called SAARC Gold Cup when launched at Lahore's Railway Stadium in 1993, but the name was changed to the current name of SAFF Cup. India are the record and defending champions.

And the SAFF Women's Championships is one of five tournaments to be launched the South Asian Football Federation in the coming year. Since its existence SAFF had only organised the men's championship; but now the women's tournament, youth Under-19 & Under-16 tournament plus a SAFF Champions League are set to be organised to push the development of South Asian football with support from the Asian Football Confederation.