Sports lovers across South Asia and beyond will have a feast of football to devour upon over the next sixteen days as five nations of the region renew their rivalry for regional supremacy in the Maldivian capital Male today. Dubbed by many as the World Cup of South Asia, the 13th edition of the SAFF Championship will feature seven-time champions India, hosts and defending champions Maldives, rising power Nepal, one-time champion Sri Lanka and of course Bangladesh, who hoisted the trophy 18 years ago.

Iconic players like Sunil Chhetri, Ali Ashfaq and Jamal Bhuiyan alongside up-and-coming stars such as Ahmed Wazeem Razeek, Anisur Rahman and Anirudh Thapa will have plenty of opportunity to rub shoulders against each other during this round-robin format competition. Whichever two teams make the final on October 16, it promises to be an action-packed sixteen days of top quality football. So keep your eyes on your favourite teams and footballers.

BANGLADESH: WILLL THE LONG WAIT BE OVER?

FIFA Ranking– 189

Appearance – 11

Champions – 1 (2003)

Runners-up- 2 (1999, 2005)

Star player – Jamal Bhuiyan

Bangladesh had their prime time in the SAFF Championship from 1999 to 2005 when the men in red and green played in three successive finals and clinched the title on home ground in 2003. But those days are long gone as Bangladesh have failed to get out of the group stages of the past four editions. Ahead of another tournament, Bangladesh were in a bit of a turmoil following the release of long-time coach Jamie Day but under interim coach Oscar Bruzon and boasting a good blend of young and experienced players, Bangladesh are dreaming to end a 16-year wait for reaching the final.

13TH SAFF CHAMPIONSHIP

Teams: India, Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Venue: National Football Stadium, Male

INDIA: A CUT ABOVE THE REST

FIFA Ranking – 107

Appearance -12

Champions – 7 (1993, 1997, 1999, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2015)

Runners-up – 4 (1995, 2008, 2013, 2018)

Star Player – Sunil Chhetri

India, without a doubt, are the superpower of South Asian football. They have the most titles in their cabinet and ranked way above the rest of their competitors in FIFA ranking. The Blue Tigers have played all the finals except for the fifth edition in 2003 when they were eliminated from semifinals by eventual champions Bangladesh. Since then, they played seven successive finals and became champions four times, even claiming three of those titles with U-23 sides. Under the guidance of Igor Stimac, Sunil Chhettri and Co will once again be the team to beat.

MALDIVES: ONUS ON HOSTS TO DEFEND TITLE

FIFA Ranking– 158

Appearance – 10

Champions – 2 (2008, 2018)

Runners-up- 3 (1997, 2003, 2009)

Star player – Ali Ashfaq

Once the punching bag of regional football, Maldives have gradually established themselves as the second force in South Asia after India. The tiny island nation won the SAFF Championship twice in five final appearances. Ali Ashfaq, the greatest ever player to come out of the country and one of the all time greats of the region, missed out on the 2018 edition which was Maldives' second success after winning their maiden title in 2008 when they co-hosted the championship with Sri Lanka. This time, though, Maldives are the sole organisers of the event and they will be strong contenders for the title too.

NEPAL: THE PERENNIAL UNDERACHIEVERS

FIFA Ranking– 168

Appearance – 12

Champions – Never

Runners-up- Never

Star player – Rohit Chand

The Nepalese fans are arguably the most passionate ones in South Asian region, nations, but unfortunately their team's performance hardly ever matches the fans' lofty expectations. This is the only team to have never made it to the final of the SAFF Championship, let alone winning it. In the last four editions, their journey ended in the semifinals stage. However, the Gorkhalis have tasted success in recent times in other platforms such as the Bangabandhu Gold Cup and AFC Solidarity Cup. The charges of Abdullah Almutairi, who have also fared admirably in recent World Cup qualifying matches, have all the ingredients to at least make it to the final this time around.

SRI LANKA: MISSION REBOOT

FIFA Ranking – 205

Appearance – 12

Champions – 1 (1995)

Runners-up- 1 (1993)

Star player – Dillon De Silva

Although Sri Lanka were dominant during the first two editions of the SAFF Championship in 1993 and 1995 when they finished runners-up and champions respectively, since then the Islanders miserably failed to perform in the following 10 editions of the tournament. Barring two semifinal appearances in 2008 and 2009, they failed to make it out of the group stages on the other occasions. However, boosted by the inclusion of England-based midfielder Marvin Hamilton, Queens Park Rangers winger Dillon De Silva and Germany-based Ahmed Wazeem Razeek, the Lankans may cause a lot of trouble this time around to the other teams.