[4][5] However, on 15 September 2019, SAFF president Kazi Salahuddin and general secretary Anwarul Haque Helal along with representatives of seven member countries decided to host the regional tournament in Bangladesh.

[6][7] However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament was postponed from its original date of 2020 to 2021,[8] and it was supposed to be held in September 2021.

[9] Later, Bangladesh withdrew from hosting due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lack of sponsors,[10][11] after which Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli asked All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) to "initiate the process" of hosting the tournament in Nepal.

[2][3] The Pakistan Football Federation was sanctioned by FIFA in April 2021, hence they were ineligible to participate in the competition.

[17] Bhutan initially abstained from participation as their government refused to permit the national football team to travel abroad.