The semifinals and ultimate of the Nationwide Soccer Championship for the Santosh Trophy will probably be held between March 1 and 4 on the King Fahd Worldwide Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the nationwide federation introduced on Thursday. All India Soccer Federation (AIFF) secretary common Shaji Prabhakaran advised a press convention right here that the dates have been fastened after session with their Saudi Arabian counterparts. “This can be a nice second for Indian soccer, because the 4 states that make it to the semifinals will get to battle for the Santosh Trophy title in Saudi Arabia,” Prabhakaran mentioned.

He identified that the motivation to play in Saudi Arabia would make the Santosh Trophy ultimate spherical, starting right here on Friday, an much more attention-grabbing and aggressive occasion.

“The battle for the final 4 is more likely to be an intense one, and all of us hope that the battle will go right down to the wire to e book a spot on the worldwide stage, which would be the first time since 1941, when the Santosh Trophy was launched as a six-venue match with the ultimate being performed in Kolkata,” mentioned Prabhakaran.

“The Santosh Trophy is central to our plans in growth of soccer throughout the nation, as we glance to enhance the situations for all our State FAs to expand contributions in taking Indian soccer ahead.

“Serving to out Member Associations is central to our plans for long run development, as we have now charted out final month in Imaginative and prescient 2047, and these are simply child steps in the direction of a a lot bigger purpose.” Prabhakaran additionally spoke at size concerning the growth of soccer throughout the nation, one thing that has been offered by the nationwide federation within the Imaginative and prescient 2047 doc earlier this 12 months.

Within the ultimate rounds of the Santosh Trophy, 12 groups have been divided into two teams of six every. The groups will play one another in a spherical robin format within the group. The highest two groups from every group will change into the primary groups within the Santosh Trophy to play on international soil, as soon as they transfer to Riyadh for the semifinals and ultimate.

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