Misplaced Pages

2023 SAFF Women's International Friendly Tournament

Tournament details
Host country	Saudi Arabia
Dates	18–30 September
Teams	6 (from 3 sub-confederations)
Venue(s)	1 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions	Lebanon (1st title)
Runners-up	Bhutan
Third place	Malaysia
Fourth place	Saudi Arabia
Tournament statistics
Matches played	11
Goals scored	16 (1.45 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Lili Iskandar (3 goals)
Best player(s)	Deki Lhazom
Best goalkeeper	Nurul Azurin binti
← 2023 (Khobar)

The 2023 SAFF Women's International Friendly Tournament was the 2nd edition of the SAFF Women's International Friendly Tournament organized by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF). Taif was selected as the host city by the SAFF Women's Football Committee in September 2023. On 21 August 2023, the SAFF confirmed that the tournament would take place between 18 and 30 September 2023.

The competition saw an expansion of participating teams from four in the first edition to six in this edition.

Saudi Arabia were the defending champions having won last edition in Khobar, but were eliminated in the semi-finals by Bhutan after extra time. Lebanon were crowned champions for the first time after defeating Bhutan 1–0, also after extra time.

Participating teams

The second SAFF Women's International Friendly Tournament featured teams from six different nations, representing three Asian regional sub-confederations: WAFF (West Asia), SAFF (South Asia), and AFF (ASEAN).

Qualified teams

The following six teams participated in the tournament:

Team	Appearance	Last appearance	FIFA Ranking	Previous best performance
Saudi Arabia	2nd	2023 (Khobar)	172th	Champions (2023 (Khobar))
Bhutan	1st	N/A	169th	Debut
Laos	1st	N/A	87th	Debut
Lebanon	1st	N/A	137th	Debut
Malaysia	1st	N/A	89th	Debut
Pakistan	2nd	2023 (Khobar)	157th	Runners-up (2023 (Khobar))

1. As published on 25 August 2023

Venue

All the matches of the tournament are being held exclusively at the King Fahd Stadium in Taif.

Taif	Taif
	King Fahd Sports City
	Capacity: 20,000

Squads

Format

The tournament follows a group-stage format, where the six competing teams were drawn into two groups of three. The top two teams of each group advance to the semi-finals. Meanwhile, the third-placed teams from both groups play in a match to determine the 5th place. The winners of the semi-finals secure a spot in the final, while the defeated teams face off for third place.

Group Stage

All times are local, SAST (UTC+03:00).

Group A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Saudi Arabia (H)	2	1	1	0	1	0	+1	4	Knockout stage
2	Malaysia	2	0	2	0	0	0	0	2
3	Pakistan	2	0	1	1	0	1	−1	1

Saudi Arabia	0–0	Malaysia
	Report

Malaysia	0–0	Pakistan
	Report

Pakistan	0–1	Saudi Arabia
	Report	Hawsawi 90'

Group B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Lebanon	2	2	0	0	7	3	+4	6	Knockout stage
2	Bhutan	2	0	1	1	2	3	−1	1
3	Laos	2	0	1	1	1	4	−3	1

Laos	1–4	Lebanon
Chinda 81'	Report	Arabi 13' C. Iskandar 60' Raed 65' L. Iskandar 70'

Lebanon	3–2	Bhutan
L. Iskandar 30' Salha 61' Awad 64'	Report	Lhazom 82', 86' (pen.)

Bhutan	0–0	Laos
	Report

Placement match

	5th place
	28 September – Taif
	Pakistan	1 (4)
	Laos	1 (2)

Fifth place match

Pakistan	1–1 (a.e.t.)	Laos
Z. Shah 58'	Report	Xayapaserd 63'
Penalties
Z. Shah Hirani Malik Malika-e-Noor M. Khan	4–2	Phatthalavady Kemmy Phanykone Chinda Saysamone

Knockout stage

• In the knockout stage, extra-time and a penalty shoot-out will be used to decide the winner if necessary.

Bracket

	Semi-finals				Final
	27 September – Taif
	Saudi Arabia	0
					30 September – Taif
	Bhutan (a.e.t.)	1
					Bhutan	0
	27 September – Taif
					Lebanon (a.e.t.)	1
	Lebanon (p)	0 (4)
	Malaysia	0 (3)
					Third Place match
					30 September – Taif
					Saudi Arabia	0
					Malaysia	1

Semi-finals

Saudi Arabia	0–1 (a.e.t.)	Bhutan
	Report	Bidha 112'

Lebanon	0–0 (a.e.t.)	Malaysia
	Report
Penalties
L. Iskandar Salha Abdin C. Iskandar Awad Arabi Bou Hamra Al Kasti	4–3	Sarge Sarah Arissa Soberi Saidin Mazlan Usman Irdina

Third-place match

Saudi Arabia	0–1	Malaysia
	Report	Steffi 45'

Final

Bhutan	0–1	Lebanon
	Report	L. Iskandar 102'

Goalscorers

There were 16 goals scored in 11 matches, for an average of 1.45 goals per match.

3 goals

• Lili Iskandar

2 goals

• Deki Lhazom

1 goal

• Yesney Bidha
• Chinda Sihalath
• Chaikham Xayapaserd
• Zahwa Arabi
• Samira Awad
• Cecile Iskandar
• Waed Raed
• Syntia Salha
• Steffi Sarge Kaur
• Zulfia Shah
• Al Bandari Hawsawi

Notes

References

1. "Pakistan to Participate in 6-Nation Women's Football Tournament in Saudi Arabia". propakistani.pk. 21 August 2023.
2. "السعودية تنظم بطولة ودية للسيدات بمشاركة 6 منتخبات عربية وآسيوية وأوروبية". كورة بلس. September 4, 2023.
3. "«البطولة الدولية للسيدات»: بوتان ولبنان إلى النهائي… والبرونزية بين السعودية وماليزيا" [The Women's International Championship: Bhutan and Lebanon in the final... with the bronze match between Saudi Arabia and Malaysia]. awsat.com (in Arabic). 27 September 2023.
4. "LEBANESE WOMEN NATIONAL TEAM CHAMPIONS OF FRIENDLY FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT IN TAIF". nna-leb.gov.lb. 1 October 2023.
5. "سيدات لبنان يبحثن عن لقب جديد في السعودية". كووورة. September 14, 2023.
6. "PFF names squad for women's international tournament in Saudi Arabia". The Nation. September 16, 2023.
7. "Squad for Women's Six-Nation Football Tournament in Saudi Arabia".
8. "Pakistan Women's Schedule for 6-Nation Tournament in Saudi Arabia Unveiled".

v t e Football in Saudi Arabia
SAFF
National teams	Men Men's U-23 U-20 U-17 Women Women's U-20 U-17
International competitions	Women SAFF Women's Friendly Tournament
League competitions	Men Pro League First Division Second Division Third Division Fourth Division Women Premier League First Division Second Division
Cup competitions	Men King Cup Super Cup Crown Prince Cup (defunct) Prince Faisal bin Fahd League U-21 (defunct) Saudi-Egyptian Super Cup (defunct) Women SAFF Cup
Other	Women's football Prince Faisal bin Fahd League U-21 Venues Clubs Clubs in Champions League
Clubs Players Foreign Pro League players Expatriate players Managers Referees Venues Seasons Records

v t e International association football
FIFA Federations Teams Competitions World Rankings The Best FIFA Football Awards Timeline Most successful clubs
World (FIFA)	FIFA World Cup U-20 U-17 FIFA Confederations Cup FIFA Gold Cup Olympic Games Youth Olympic Games
Asia (AFC)	AFC Asian Cup U-23 U-20 U-17 AFC Challenge Cup AFC Solidarity Cup Asian Games Regional ASEAN CAFA EAFF SAFF WAFF Arabian Gulf Cup East Asian Games Far Eastern Games South Asian Games Southeast Asian Games West Asian Games
Africa (CAF)	CAF Africa Cup of Nations U-23 U-20 U-17 CAF African Nations Championship African Games Regional CECAFA COSAFA UNIFFAC WAFU Central African Games Indian Ocean Island Games
North America (CONCACAF)	CONCACAF Gold Cup U-23 U-20 U-17 U-15 CONCACAF Championship CONCACAF Nations League CONCACAF Cup NAFC Championship CCCF Championship Central America and Caribbean Games Regional North American Nations Cup Copa Centroamericana CFU Championship Caribbean Cup LIFA Cup WIFA Cup Central America Games
South America (CONMEBOL)	CONMEBOL Copa América U-23 U-20 U-17 U-15 South American Games Regional Bolivarian Games
Oceania (OFC)	OFC Nations Cup U-23 U-19 U-17 Regional Melanesia Cup Polynesia Cup Pacific Games Pacific Mini Games
Europe (UEFA)	UEFA European Championship U-21 U-19 U-17 UEFA Nations League Regional Central European Cup Balkan Cup Baltic Cup British Home Championship Nordic Championship
Inter-Continental	CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions CPF Panamerican Championship CAF-AFC Afro-Asian Cup of Nations AFC–OFC Challenge Cup FIFA Arab Cup Palestine Cup Kuneitra Cup Overseas Cup Afro-Asian Games Arab Games Francophone Games GANEFO Goodwill Games Islamic Games Islamic Solidarity Games Lusofonia Games Mediterranean Cup Mediterranean Games Pan American Games
Non-FIFA	CONIFA World Football Cup CONIFA European Football Cup CONIFA South America Football Cup CONIFA Africa Football Cup FIFI Wild Cup UIAFA Great European Tournament Island Games Micronesian Games Universiade World Unity Football Alliance
See also Geography Codes Player/Club of the Century Women's football

• 2023 in Saudi Arabian sport