1) Continental Rivalry

The SAFF Cup, previously known as the SAARC Championships, is the premier international football tournament for countries in the South Asian region. In a competition like SAFF Cup the Indian Football team gets an opportunity to show off its class against continental rivals like Pakistan, Bangladesh or Nepal. As in cricket where India-Pakistan football matches see overwhelming TRPs, football matches between the two countries can also yield similar results.

2) International Exposure

The national team players are always complaining about the lack of international exposure for them. So the SAFF cup is important for India as it is not only an international tournament but it also gives them an opportunity to play matches against opponents at neutral grounds which is very essential for long term development.
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