Tournamentinitiation of Subroto Cup scheduled for August 19, featuring 106 teams categorized into three distinct divisions.
The 64th Subroto Cup International Football Tournament Returns in August
The 64th Subroto Cup International Football Tournament is set to commence on August 19, 2025, and will continue until September 25. This prestigious grassroots football event, organised by India's Air Force Sports Control Board and the Subroto Mukherjee Sports Education Society, will take place in New Delhi NCR and Bengaluru.
The tournament will feature three categories: Junior Girls (U17), Sub-Junior Boys (U15), and Junior Boys (U17). The Junior Girls (U17) category will kick off on August 19 in New Delhi, while the Sub-Junior Boys (U15) will begin on August 2 in Bengaluru. The Junior Boys (U17) category will start on September 16 in New Delhi.
The tournament will see the participation of over 106 teams from India and abroad, including four international schools from Sri Lanka and Nepal. The key venues in New Delhi include Ambedkar Stadium, Tejas Football Ground, Subroto Park Football Ground, and Pinto Park Football Ground. In Bengaluru, the Air Force School Jalahalli, Air Force School Yelahalli, and the HQ Training Command Ground will host the matches.
The Subroto Cup tournament has a rich history, having been held since 1960 in memory of Air Marshal Subroto Mukerjee. It serves as a talent scouting platform, with top players getting opportunities for advanced training internationally under the ‘Indian Tigers and Tigresses’ initiative.
In the previous edition, TG English School, Bishnupur (Manipur) won the Junior Boys title, while Nongiri Presbyterian Secondary School, Meghalaya lifted the Sub-Junior Boys trophy. Mother International School, Ranchi (Jharkhand) defended their Junior Girls title.
Notable alumna of the tournament is Dalima Chhibber, an Indian women's footballer who attended the event as Guest of Honour in a previous year. The tournament marks the start of her football journey, having first participated in 2011.
The Sub-Junior Boys category will undergo an age-determination test in Bengaluru, as per the guidelines of the All India Football Federation. The tournament will include more than 200 matches across all three categories, with the final phase of the Junior Boys (U-17) starting on September 16 in Delhi NCR.
The Subroto Cup tournament has a global reach and is rising in stature. It features the "Indian Tigers and Tigresses" talent identification campaign, which aims to select seven promising players for advanced training in Germany.
The Subroto Cup International Football Tournament, in addition to promoting sports, also emphasizes the importance of education, as it offers top players opportunities for advanced training in various fields through the 'Indian Tigers and Tigresses' initiative. Furthermore, the tournament encourages a healthy lifestyle, fostering a love for football among the participants and nurturing future stars of the sport.
