The 64th Subroto Cup International Football Tournament has commenced with a victory for the Government Higher Secondary School of Arunachal Pradesh. They defeated the Sainik School of Odisha in the opening match, held at the BR Ambedkar Stadium in New Delhi on August 19, with a final score of 1-0. The tournament was officially launched with a grand opening ceremony, attended by Air Marshal S. Shivkumar VSM and Subroto Mukherjee.
Air Marshal S. Shivkumar emphasized the importance of the Subroto Cup, highlighting its role in promoting football across India. He anticipated that the tournament would not only showcase the skills of young athletes but also encourage broader participation in the sport.
The tournament started with a match in the Junior Girls (Under-17) category. The winning goal, scored by Lucky Liam Tamin, came in the ninth minute. A total of 31 teams are competing in the Junior Girls category, split into 8 groups, which also include teams from Sri Lanka. The winners of each group will move on to the knockout stage.
The tournament features 106 teams competing in three categories: Junior Boys (Under-17), Junior Girls (Under-17), and Sub-Junior Boys (Under-15). The matches are scheduled to conclude on September 25. Top performers will have the opportunity to participate in trials in Germany, as part of the News9 Indian Tigers and Tigresses Talent Hunt program, which is run by the TV9 Network. Over 200 matches are scheduled across Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru. Following these matches, the best players will be chosen for training in Germany.
The total prize money for this year’s tournament is ₹35,60,000. Matches are set to take place at locations in New Delhi, including the Tejas Football Ground, the Subroto Park Football Ground, and the Pinto Park Football Ground. In Bengaluru, matches will be played at the Air Force School Jalahalli, Air Force School Yelahanka, and the Headquarters Training Command Football Ground.