The All-India Football Federation (AIFF) on Wednesday conducted the official draw for the 77th National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy 2023-24 and the Senior Women’s National Football Championship 2023-24.
The Santosh Trophy will see participation from 38 teams, while there will be 37 teams in the Senior Women’s National Football Championship.
Karnataka and Meghalaya, who were the two finalists of the Santosh Trophy in 2022-23, will gain direct entry into the Final Rounds of the competition, while the same will apply to Tamil Nadu and Haryana, who played the final of the Senior Women’s NFC 2022-23, the AIFF said in a report on its website.
AIFF Secretary General Dr. Shaji Prabhakaran said, “We wish each team the very best for the Santosh Trophy and the Senior Women’s NFC. I am sure this season will see much better competition, and we will have the opportunity to see new teams and talented players come through. My very best to the participating teams and the members of the competition committee for the draw.”
Competitions Committee Chairperson Anilkumar P. said, “I feel that the draw has been conducted in a very good manner, and the groupings have been fair to all the teams. Wishing everyone the best of luck for the competitions.”
In the Santosh Trophy Group Stage, the 36 teams have been divided into six groups of six teams each. The winners and the four best second-placed teams, along with the champions and runners-ups from the 2022-23 season.
Meanwhile, the 35 teams in the Senior Women’s NFC Group Stage have been divided into six groups (Groups A to E will have six teams each, while Group F will have five sides). The six group winners, along with the four best second-placed teams will make it to the Final Rounds.
77th National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy 2023-24 Groupings:
Group A: Kerala, Goa, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir.
Group B: Punjab, Haryana, Odisha, Delhi, Ladakh, West Bengal.
Group C: Manipur, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Nagaland, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh.
Group D: Railways, Bihar, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, Assam, Himachal Pradesh.
Group E: Services, Uttarakhand, Mizoram, Pondicherry, Sikkim, Dadra and Nagar Haveli & Daman and Diu.
Group F: Maharashtra, Telangana, Andaman & Nicobar, Andhra Pradesh, Lakshadweep, Tripura.
28th Senior Women’s National Football Championship Groupings:
Group A: Manipur, Pondicherry, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Uttar Pradesh.
Group B: West Bengal, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Nagaland.
Group C: Chandigarh, Assam, Sikkim, Karnataka, Kerala, Tripura.
Group D: Jharkhand, Lakshadweep, Ladakh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir.
Group E: Odisha, Goa, Meghalaya, Dadra and Nagar Haveli & Daman and Diu, Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat.
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Group F: Railways, Maharashtra, Andaman & Nicobar, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh.