Kathmandu, Sept. 15 -- The 2025 SAFF U17 Men's Championship, which is kicking off today, has brought all seven active countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)-Nepal, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and the Maldives-together, a rare sight in the recent events of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF).

The previous edition of the U17 Men's Championship in 2024 in Bhutan also saw the participation of the seven nations. Similarly, the seven countries played in the sixth and seventh editions of the SAFF Women's Championship in Nepal in 2022 and 2024, respectively.

Except those, the last time the seven countries met together was in the 12th edition of the SAFF Men's Championship in Banglades...