DHAKA, June 24, 2021 (BSS)- Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) is still hopeful to host the SAFF Championship on time here in September this year unless the COVID-19 situation stands on the way. The event was originally scheduled to be held last year in September in Dhaka on the occasion of birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, however the tournament was eventually postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic. “We could not host the SAFF Championship last year, the biggest football event of ‘Mujib Barsho’, but now as per the decision of South Asian Football Federation (SAFF), we still think that the BFF will host the championship this year on time,” BFF general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag told the pressmen today. He said as far as we understood in the context of discussions with SAFF general secretary, unless India and Nepal do not stand against the tournament for COVID-19 related reasons, the tournament would be held as per new schedule. The SAFF Secretariat also cleared their stance to arrange the SAFF Championship in time unless the COVID-19 situation interrupts the way, he added. Shohag said one or two countries already communicated with BFF regarding SAFF, and BFF also cleared it’s position as it is hopeful to host the championship this year and at the same time the BFF suggested them to keep in touch with the SAFF Secretariat in this regard. The BFF general secretary informed that the SAFF is thinking to bring the championship into the FIFA window which will take place from August 30 to September 7.