The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Groupings of the eight-nation 5th SAFF Championship was finalized on Thursday through ceremonial draw at the Paradise Island Resort in Maldives with Bangladesh placed in Group B.

The 15-match SAF Football Championship, to be known as World Cup of South Asia, will be co-hosted by Sri Lanka and Maldives on June 3-14 this year.

Bangladesh, runners-up in the 4th SAFF Championship in Karachi in December 2005, have been placed in Group B with co-host Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Afghanistan.

Another co-host Maldives have been placed in death group A with four times SAFF champions and holders India, Pakistan, and Nepal

The draw ceremony was held in presence of the representatives of all eight South Asian countries with BFF vice-president and SAF secretary Sirajul Islam Bachchu and BFF acting general secretary Manjur Hossain Malu representing Bangladesh.

Football Association of Maldives (FAM)'s interim committee Chairman Ahmed Shahir and South Asia Football Federation president Ganesh Thapa from Nepal conducted the day's draw.

The Group A matches will be played at the National Stadium in Male, while the Group B matches at Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo. The final match will also be held in Colombo.

The champion team will receive US$ 50,000 while the runners-up will get US$ 25,000 as prize money.

The four semi-finalists will also receive US$ 10,000 each.