Itanagar, April 30 (IANS) The India U19 men's team arrived in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, on Wednesday, ahead of the SAFF U19 Championship 2025, scheduled to take place from May 9 to 18 at the Golden Jubilee Stadium in Yupia. Kipa Ajay, Treasurer, AIFF, and Honorary Secretary, Arunachal Pradesh Football Association, welcomed the 25-member Indian squad, coached by Bibiano Fernandes, at the Donyi Polo Airport in the Arunachal capital.
The Blue Colts had been training at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru before arriving in the Land of the Dawn-Lit Mountains. It will mark a historic occasion in the sporting history of Arunachal Pradesh as the state will host an international football tournament for the first time.
India will face Nepal and Sri Lanka in their respective Group B fixtures. Maldives, Bhutan, and Bangladesh were drawn into Group A. For the draw, the teams were seeded in three pots based on the latest FIFA Men's Rankings as of December 2024. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semifinals, which will be played on May 16. The final will take place on May 18.
India are the defending champions, having beaten Pakistan 3-0 in the final of the 2023 edition held in Kathmandu. In 2024, the tournament was held for the U20s, where India lost to Bangladesh on penalties in the semifinals.
This will be the fourth time India will host an age-group SAFF competition after U20 men's (Bhubaneswar 2022), U18 women's (Jamshedpur 2022), and U15 men's (Kalyani 2019), the All-India Football Federation (AIFF) informed in a release on Wednesday.
India's 25-member squad for the SAFF U19 Championship 2025:
Goalkeepers: Aarush Hari, Aheibam Suraj Singh, Rohit.
Defenders: Ashik Adhikari, Takhellambam Bungson Singh, Jodric Abranches, Malemngamba Singh Thokchom, Mohammed Kaif, Mukul Panwar, Sumit Sharma Brahmacharimayum, Sohum Utreja, Roshan Singh Thangjam.
Midfielders: Danny Meitei Laishram, Gurnaj Singh Grewal, Md Arbash, Ningthoukhongjam Rishi Singh, Daniyal Makakmayum, Singamayum Shami.
Forwards: Ahongshangbam Samson, Bharat Lairenjam, Chaphamayum Rohen Singh, Omang Dodum, Prashan Jajo, Hemneichung Lunkim, Yohaan Benjamin.
--IANS
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