SAFE CHAMPIONSHIP 2023

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Context: India won the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship 2023 title after a dramatic 5-4 win over Kuwait in a penalty shootout in the final at Bengaluru’s Sree Kanteerava Stadium. India lifted their 9th SAFF Championship trophy out of 14 editions.

Details

• India had an unbeaten run in the SAFF Championship 2023, beating Pakistan and Nepal and drawing with Kuwait in the group stage. They edged past Lebanon on penalties in the semifinals and repeated the same against Kuwait in a tense final.
• The Indian team was rewarded with a cash prize of USD 50,000, equivalent to INR 41 lakh, along with the medals.
• Kuwait, who finished second in the SAFF Championship 2023, received medals and a cheque of US Dollar 25,000.

Awardees of the tournament

• Fairplay Award: Nepal football team
• Best Goalkeeper: Anisur Rahman Zico
• Highest Goal-Scorer: Sunil Chhetri (6 Goals)
• Most Valuable Player: Sunil Chhetri

SAFF Football Championship

• The SAFF Football Championship is a prestigious tournament that showcases the best of South Asian football every two years.
• The tournament is organized by the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF), which aims to foster cooperation and development among its member associations.
• 1993: The first SAFF Championship was held in Lahore, Pakistan, with six teams participating. India won the title by beating Pakistan 1-0 in the final.

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1937445