Just as it happened on March 17, 1996, when the whole of Sri Lanka rallied behind the national cricket team to win the ICC Cricket World Cup, authorities of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) are expecting a similar uprising in support of football from November 17, 2026. That is when the ongoing South [...]
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Just as it happened on March 17, 1996, when the whole of Sri Lanka rallied behind the national cricket team to win the ICC Cricket World Cup, authorities of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) are expecting a similar uprising in support of football from November 17, 2026. That is when the ongoing South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship, the 15th edition of South Asia’s most coveted football event, comes to an end with the final in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
“The SAFF Championship is like the World Cup for us in the South Asian region. The dream of any player or administrator is to win the title. We have been preparing gradually with a solid plan, and the aim is to win the title after 31 years,” Umar told the Sunday Times from Dhaka, where he is currently also serving as Senior Vice President and Chair of the Competition Committee of SAFF.
FFSL President Jaswar Umar (2nd right) at the SAFF Championship opening ceremony on Thursday
What began as a brainchild of Umar three years ago, with the end goal of winning the SAFF title, has now shaped Sri Lanka’s hopes, following 12 wins and five draws from 27 international matches during this period. This year alone, Sri Lanka has a 100 percent success rate with five wins in five outings. The win ratio has helped Sri Lanka rise from 207 to 184 in the FIFA Global Rankings, making Sri Lanka a team to watch in the ongoing six-nation competition.
“We began this as a special project, and Qatar helped us immensely. We are beginning to witness the outcomes now, and the end goal of this whole investment is to win the title,” he added.
Sri Lanka will face Bhutan, currently ranked 192, today at 8.00pm, while Wednesday’s game against Bangladesh will test their position on the way to a hopeful semi-final entry, scheduled for November 14. With the expertise of Head Coach Abdullah Al Mutairi, Sri Lanka will adopt their usual ‘game-by-game’ approach.
“We have won the last two outings against Bhutan, as well as two against hosts Bangladesh. But we cannot underestimate any team. Our approach will be to take each game at a time, reach the semis and then the final, and hopefully bring the cup to Sri Lanka on November 17,” said Umar confidently.
The whole exercise, as explained by Umar, will not end there. The multifaceted project, which certainly delayed important segments such as domestic competitions and development projects in junior, youth and women’s football, has drawn criticism from many, including those within the fraternity.
Umar had the endurance to resist those reproaches with a smile, but only a few knew that he and the FFSL administration had been making bigger plans with a well-defined pathway and an effective climax.
“Football was, and perhaps still is, considered the poor man’s sport in Sri Lanka. Football did not attract sponsors, create icons or stars that youngsters would like to become when they grow up, or give any parent the confidence that their kids would have a bright future.
“But things are now changing. During the past three years, we have managed to gradually transform the sport, and after November 17, football will be able to witness a revolution for the good of the sport. We also have had the support from the fans, and we expect all Sri Lankans to rally around us to make it a reality,” he added.
The add-ons will be supplemented by FIFA’s confirmation to assist the FFSL in building an international stadium to World Cup standards, with a capacity to hold 25,000 spectators. A further 25,000 footballs will be distributed among the 55 leagues, which will have access to 40 upcoming training and playing facilities around the country. The ultimate aim is to elevate football to become the most popular sport in Sri Lanka by 2031.
Print Edition – The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka
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