The Santosh Trophy 2024-25, India’s prestigious inter-state national football competition for men, will start on November 15.
Organised by the All India Football Federation (AIFF), as many as 38 teams will compete in the 78th edition of the Santosh Trophy.
Last edition’s finalists Services and Goa, along with hosts Telangana have received direct entry to the Santosh Trophy 2024-25 final round. The remaining 35 teams have been divided into nine groups. Eight groups feature four teams each while one group has three teams.
Know Santosh Trophy 2024-25 teams and groups.
Santosh Trophy 2024-25 groups and teams
Group A: Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab
Group B: Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Delhi
Group C: Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar
Group D: Tripura, Manipur, Sikkim, Mizoram
Group E: Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland
Group F: Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha
Group G: Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Andaman and Nicobar
Group H: Kerala, Pondicherry, Lakshadweep, Railways
Group I: Maharashtra, Gujarat, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Rajasthan
Teams qualified for Final Round: Services, Telangana, Goa
As per the Santosh Trophy 2024-25 format, each team will play the other sides in their group once. Each group winner will advance to the final round.
The draw for the Santosh Trophy 2024-25 final round will take place on November 30, 2024.
In the Santosh Trophy 2024-25 final round, a total of 12 teams will be divided into two groups - Group A and B. The top four teams from each group will qualify for the knockout stage comprising quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final.
Santosh Trophy 2024-25 group stage matches will be staged across eight venues in the country while the final round will be hosted by Telangana.
Services are the defending champions of the Santosh Trophy after beating Goa 1-0 in the 2023-24 final. Meanwhile, West Bengal are the most successful team in the tournament’s history with 32 titles.
Where to watch Santosh Trophy 2024-25 live in India
Live streaming of the Santosh Trophy 2024-25 will be available on the FIFA+ app and website in India.
There will be no live telecast of the Santosh Trophy 2024-25 on any TV channel in India.
Santosh Trophy 2024-25 schedule and venues
Friday, November 15
Tripura vs Mizoram, Umakanta Mini Stadium, Agartala, Tripura
Manipur vs Sikkim, Umakanta Mini Stadium, Agartala, Tripura
Tamil Nadu vs Andaman & Nicobar, RDT Stadium, Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh vs Karnataka, RDT Stadium, Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh
Saturday, November 16
Uttar Pradesh vs Bihar, Kalyani Stadium, West Bengal
Jharkhand vs West Bengal, Kalyani Stadium, West Bengal
Sunday, November 17
Mizoram vs Manipur, Umakanta Mini Stadium, Agartala, Tripura
Sikkim vs Tripura, Umakanta Mini Stadium, Agartala, Tripura
Andaman & Nicobar vs Andhra Pradesh, RDT Stadium, Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh
Karnataka vs Tamil Nadu, RDT Stadium, Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh
Monday, November 18
Bihar vs Jharkhand, Kalyani Stadium, West Bengal
West Bengal vs Uttar Pradesh, Kalyani Stadium, West Bengal
Tuesday, November 19
Tripura vs Manipur, Umakanta Mini Stadium, Agartala, Tripura
Sikkim vs Mizoram, Umakanta Mini Stadium, Agartala, Tripura
Tamil Nadu vs Andhra Pradesh, RDT Stadium, Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh
Karnataka vs Andaman & Nicobar, RDT Stadium, Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh
Wednesday, November 20
Ladakh vs Himachal Pradesh, GNDU Sports Complex, Amritsar
Jammu & Kashmir vs Punjab, GNDU Sports Complex, Amritsar
Pondicherry vs Lakshadweep, EMS Stadium, Kozhikode, Kerala
Kerala vs Railways, EMS Stadium, Kozhikode, Kerala
Meghalaya vs Arunachal Pradesh, Nalbari, Assam
Assam vs Nagaland, Nalbari, Assam
Thursday, November 21
Odisha vs Madhya Pradesh, GNDU Sports Complex, Amritsar
Friday, November 22
Himachal Pradesh vs Jammu & Kashmir, GNDU Sports Complex, Amritsar
Punjab vs Ladakh, GNDU Sports Complex, Amritsar
Railways vs Pondicherry, EMS Stadium, Kozhikode, Kerala
Lakshadweep vs Kerala, EMS Stadium, Kozhikode, Kerala
Nagaland vs Meghalaya, Nalbari, Assam
Arunachal Pradesh vs Assam, Nalbari, Assam
Saturday, November 23
Chhattisgarh vs Odisha, GNDU Sports Complex, Amritsar
Sunday, November 24
Jammu & Kashmir vs Ladakh, GNDU Sports Complex, Amritsar
Himachal Pradesh vs Punjab, GNDU Sports Complex, Amritsar
Lakshadweep vs Railways, EMS Stadium, Kozhikode, Kerala
Kerala vs Pondicherry, EMS Stadium, Kozhikode, Kerala
Assam vs Meghalaya, Nalbari, Assam
Arunachal Pradesh vs Nagaland, Nalbari, Assam
Monday, November 25
Madhya Pradesh vs Chhatisgarh, GNDU Sports Complex, Amritsar
Tuesday, November 26
Chandigarh vs Delhi, Sri Hargobind Stadium, Phagwara, Punjab
Uttarakhand vs Haryana, Sri Hargobind Stadium, Phagwara, Punjab
Thursday, November 28
Delhi vs Uttarakhand, Sri Hargobind Stadium, Phagwara, Punjab
Haryana vs Chandigarh, Sri Hargobind Stadium, Phagwara, Punjab
Saturday, November 30
Chandigarh vs Uttarakhand, Sri Hargobind Stadium, Phagwara, Punjab
Haryana vs Delhi, Sri Hargobind Stadium, Phagwara, Punjab
Photo credit: Imago