2025-26 Santosh Trophy National Football Championship Draw Announced

The draw for the 79th National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy 2025-26 has been revealed, with Assam hosting the event. The tournament will feature 12 teams divided into two groups, with the knockout stages set to follow. Key teams include West Bengal and Kerala, who qualified from the previous edition. The competition kicks off on January 21, 2026, promising exciting matches ahead. Read on for detailed group compositions and the format for the knockout rounds.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jan 1, 2026, 23:54 IST

Overview of the Championship Draw

The draw for the 79th National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy 2025-26 Final Round took place at the Football House in New Delhi on Wednesday. This event is set to be hosted in Dhakuakhana and Silapathar, Assam, with the tournament commencing on January 21, 2026. A total of 12 teams will compete, organized into two groups of six.

Group Stage Composition

In Group A, the host team Assam will compete alongside West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Nagaland, and Rajasthan. Group B consists of Kerala, Services, Punjab, Odisha, Railways, and Meghalaya.

Format for Qualification and Knockout Stages

As the host, Assam has secured a direct spot in the Final Rounds. West Bengal and Kerala have also qualified automatically, having finished as the winners and runners-up of the previous 2024-25 edition. The remaining nine teams earned their places by topping their respective groups in the earlier Group Stage held this month. The knockout phase will see the top four teams from each group advance, with quarter-finals scheduled for February 2 and 3, semi-finals on February 5, and the final match on February 8.

Group Draw Summary

79th National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy 2025-26 Final Round Draw:

Group A: Assam (hosts), West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Nagaland, Rajasthan.

Group B: Kerala, Services, Punjab, Odisha, Railways, Meghalaya.