The 7th edition of the SAFF U-19 Championship, which will be organized by the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF), will be kicked off at the Golden Jubilee Outdoor Stadium in Yupia, India, on 9th May 2025. Sri Lanka Football has meticulously selected a 23-member Sri Lanka Under-19 football team from the best talents showcased in the recently concluded schools football tournament.
By following their recent strategy of fielding origin players to uplift the standard, four overseas-based talents have been named in the squad, strengthening the team’s credentials ahead of the much-awaited youth tournament.
The youth Golden Army is led by Australia-based Omith Edirisinghe, and it includes three other origin players, namely Ayman Zawahir from Australia, and the UAE based duo Zakariyaa Zafarullah and Abdulah Faiz Nassim. Rising talent from Al Falah College Negombo, Hassan Abdullah has been given the duties of the vice captain.
The majority of the local boys are representing Zahira, Hameedia Al Husseinie and Gateway Colleges. The absence of the players from Alighar National School, who were the runners-up of FFSL U20 Schools National Football Championship 2025, is a surprising omission.
Sri Lankan lads are yet to make an impact in this tournament, as they have failed to progress beyond the group stage. But in this version, all eyes are on the island nation as the boys are ready to break their hoodoo with the overseas talent.
Preliminary Round Pools
Pool A: Bhutan, Bangladesh and Maldives
Pool B: India, Sri Lanka and Nepal
In the curtain-raiser game, Bangladesh youths will confront the Maldives youths on the 9th of May. It will be followed by the game where the fancied Sri Lankan youth side will take on the defending champions, India.
Then Sri Lankan youths will face the challenge from the Nepali youths on 11th of May 2025. The group’s top and the runners-up will advance to the semifinals, and the tournament will conclude with the final scheduled to be played on 18th May 2025.
Sri Lanka Under 19 Squad
Goal Keepers
Anuk Shahil Dassanayake (Gateway – Colombo)
Mohamed Rikas Muhammed (Zahira College – Colombo)
Nadal Aaron Senapala (Gateway College – Colombo)
Defenders
Omith Edirisinghe (Australia)
Ayman Zawahir (Australia)
Abdul Hameed Mohammed Irfan (Al Ameen Vidyalaya – Kinniya)
Mohamed Ramlan Abdul Rahman (Hameedia Al Husseinie – Colombo)
Mohamed Rizwan Mohamed Aashif (Zahira College – Colombo)
Mohamed Shiras Mohamed Shahid (Zahira College – Colombo)
Suthakar Roisan Bright (St. Joseph’s – Maradana)
Mid Fielders
Vijayaratnam Haris (St. Joseph’s – Maradana)
Mohamed Hafeez Akram (T. B. Jayah MV – Colombo / Java Lane SC)
Aidan Francis Perera (Gateway College – Colombo)
Mohamed Faris Umar (Darussalam College)
Mohamed Siddeek Mohamed Maziyad (Hameedia Al Husseinie – Colombo)
Abdulah Faiz Nassim (UAE)
Zakariyaa Zafarullah (UAE)
Forwards
Krawege Hirun Mirasha (Mahinda College – Galle)
Kalinga Anupa Pabasara (Mahinda College – Galle)
Mohammadu Hussain Abdullah (Al Falah – Negombo)
Silmy Mohamed Hussain (Hameedia Al Husseinie – Colombo)
Kaleelullah Mohamed Katheem (Zahira College – Colombo)
Luckman Rashad Shihab (Royal College – Colombo)
The Team Management
Head Coach – Imran Mohamed
Assistant Coach – Mohamed Fawmy
Goalkeeper Coach – Priyantha Edirisinghe
Team Manager – Raveen Rajakaruna
Team Doctor – Akalanka Edirisinghe
Masseur – Manoj Piyaratne
Media Officer – Abdul Najeem
Kit Manager – Pradeep Anthonige
Head of Delegation – Nazar Mohideen
