India is the defending champion after defeating Bangladesh 2-1 to win the last competition in 2019.
Pakistan Football Federation is ineligible to compete in this competition as FIFA suspended them on April 7, 2021.
A player must have been born on or after January 1, 2003, in order to participate in the event. Each club must submit a roster of at least 16 and up to 23 players, including a minimum of two goalkeepers.
Table top two teams will progress to the championship game.
In The Press Meet
Before the start of the competition, India's head coach, Shanmugam Venkatesh, made a statement to the media about how long-term use of these facilities has helped his squad improve as footballers.
The boys are very motivated and we are ready for the SAFF Championship. All of our players understand the value of moving slowly as part of our growth, so for us, this will be a terrific preparation for the AFC U-20 Asian Cup Qualifiers, added Venkatesh. "I must express my gratitude to the Government of Odisha for providing such top-notch facilities for the competition. Additionally, we've been practicing here for a while, and that has tremendously aided the boys' growth.
Head coach and technical director of Bangladesh's U-20 team Paul Smalley Thomas, who had previously visited India for the SAFF U-18 Women's Championship, praised the country's football organizers.
I should thank the event planners for having us in Bhubaneswar. The tournaments are really well organized here. I have previously visited this location for the U-18 Women's SAFF, when India narrowly defeated us, but it went really well, and you should all be commended for it, remarked Thomas.
Rajamany Devasagayam, the head coach of Sri Lanka, believes that because Bhubaneswar and Sri Lanka have a similar climate, his team will perform better on the field.
"I believe Bhubaneswar will be a suitable location for us. The weather is precisely the same as it is at this time of year in Sri Lanka. We have been provided with top-notch facilities, and I believe we can succeed here, stated Devasagayam.
It's a little challenging in the age categories because we don't have as much knowledge on the other teams, according to Maldives coach Ahmed Shakir. However, the amenities provided to us here have greatly amazed us. The boys are really driven, and we anticipate success.
Although he acknowledged that all of the matches at the SAFF U-20 Championship will be competitive, Nepal coach Megh Raj KC is sure that his team will be among the stronger groups.
We have a really strong team in this competition, in my opinion. But each side has its own strengths, so I think every game will be challenging," he remarked.
On July 25, 2022, at 4 PM IST, Nepal will play host to the Maldives at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar to kick off the SAFF U-20 Championship. At 7 PM IST on the same day, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka square off at the same location.
India's campaign gets underway against Bangladesh on July 27 at 4 PM IST.