Jaswar Umar, President of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka, has expressed his sincere regret to the public and football fans—who had hoped to see the Sri Lankan team in the final of the South Asian football tournament—and has pledged to rebuild the team into a stronger unit over the next eight months.
First and foremost, he has conveyed his sincere apologies to the people of Sri Lanka—especially our beloved football fans—who supported the national team with great hope and enthusiasm.
Following the global ban on Sri Lankan football, we began the process of rebuilding the national team during one of the most challenging periods in the history of the sport in Sri Lanka. From the very outset, we have been deeply committed to restoring the players’ confidence, elevating their standard of play, and creating a competitive team capable of bringing pride to our nation. It is noteworthy that, as a result, Sri Lanka has achieved more victories in international matches than before.
He further stated that the advancement from 207th to 184th place in the FIFA world rankings serves as clear evidence of this progress. Given that the country had remained below the 200th position in the world rankings for nearly 15 years, this represents a significant achievement and a very positive sign that Sri Lankan football is moving forward with renewed vigor.
He also noted that, although the match against Bangladesh proved to be an extremely difficult day for the team—where errors and pressure prevented them from performing at the expected level—a single defeat should not lead to an underestimation of the team’s value or the progress achieved thus far. He emphasized that it is this very team that brought pride and new hope to the nation by defeating several countries that hold higher positions in the FIFA rankings. Offering praise only when the team wins, while criticizing them upon defeat, does not constitute true sportsmanship; genuine support means standing together through both victory and defeat.
He noted that over the past two years, our national team has recorded 12 wins and 6 draws; this defeat is merely another setback and certainly not the end of our journey.
The objective is to bring about long-term, sustainable change within Sri Lankan football. The SAFF Championship is but one significant step in this journey—it is not our ultimate goal. When we fall short of our initial target, we must reflect, analyze our mistakes, learn the necessary lessons, and prepare to return even stronger.
The next SAFF Championship is scheduled to take place in about eight months. Discussions are currently underway regarding the possibility of hosting this tournament in Sri Lanka—an event that would represent a tremendous opportunity for our national team, football fans, and the entire football community. He has requested the entire nation to place their trust in the team and the process being followed, and to provide the necessary time and support to elevate Sri Lankan football to a higher level, as we work to build the sport step by step.
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