Panaji: Goa Football Association (GFA) president Caitano Fernandes has been appointed deputy chairperson of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) competitions committee.SAFF said its executive committee, at its virtual meeting held on Thursday in Dhaka, approved the formation of all standing committees for the 2026-2030 term as per the requirement of the SAFF Statutes.Caitano was previously member of the SAFF competitions committee and has now been elevated as the deputy chairperson. The committee will be chaired SAFF vice president Jaswar Umaru Lebbe (Sri Lanka). Jigme Tshewang (Bhutan), Muhammad Shahid Niaz Khoker (Pakistan) and Abraham Ali (Maldives) are the other members of the panel.AIFF vice president NA Haris has been appointed as the chairperson of the finance committee, while India’s other representatives include Tsering Angmo (Ladakh, women’s ad-hoc committee) and Sangrang Brahma (Assam, media and communications).“To serve on the SAFF competitions committee as a member in the previous term was already a privilege, and to now be elevated to deputy chairperson is something I do not take lightly,” said Caitano. “South Asian football is growing, and the competitions we organise play a vital role in that progress. I look forward to contributing towards strengthening these competitions while continuing to work for the development of football in Goa.“I share this recognition with the entire football fraternity in Goa, including our clubs, players, coaches, referees, officials and supporters, whose collective efforts have helped place Goa football on a larger platform.”GFA said Caitano’s elevation comes after a period of sustained growth within Goan football. The association said it organised more than 1,300 matches annually involving over 7,000 players each season, launched girls’ U-14, U-16 and U-18 leagues for the first time in the state’s history and hosted major national and international competitions.
