Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Defending champions India will face arch-rivals Pakistan in Group B of the 2025 SAFF U-17 Championship to be hosted by Sri Lanka in September.
The draw held in Dhaka on Sunday placed India, Pakistan, Bhutan and the Maldives in Group B. Hosts Sri Lanka is in Group A alongside Bangladesh and Nepal.
All matches of the championship will be held at the 10,000-capacity Racecourse Ground in Colombo.
A total of seven teams will compete in the regional youth tournament. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals.
India is the most successful team in the competition’s history, having won the title six times: in 2013, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2024. Bangladesh has lifted the trophy twice (2015 and 2018), while Pakistan won it once in 2011.
Nepal has yet to win the title, despite reaching the finals in 2013, 2017, 2019 and 2022.
