The 65th Subroto Cup International Football Tournament kicked off on August 18, 2026, at the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Stadium in New Delhi. Air Marshal S. Shivkumar attended the opening ceremony as the chief guest, while weightlifter Lovepreet Singh was the guest of honour. On the opening day, Meghalaya began their campaign with a victory by defeating Chandigarh 2-0 in the Under-17 girls’ category; Jenefa and Wandari scored the goals.
At the opening ceremony, the spectacular performance by the Air Warriors Drill Team and the cultural presentations by students of the Air Force Golden Jubilee Institute created an atmosphere of enthusiasm and excitement.
A total of 108 teams are participating in the tournament across three categories: Junior Girls (Under-17), Junior Boys (Under-17), and Sub-Junior Boys (Under-15). In each category, the tournament is divided into eight groups. The winning teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage, which will culminate in the tournament finals.
The 65th Subroto Cup reinforces the commitment to providing young talents with opportunities to showcase their footballing potential, gain competitive experience, and advance further.
Air Marshal S. Shivakumar stated that the “65th Subroto Cup represents a significant platform for India’s strong football tradition and young talent. He expressed hope that the tournament would not only hone the players’ skills but also inspire more young people to take up football. Extending his best wishes to all the qualifying teams, he urged them to play in the true spirit of sportsmanship”.
