
The anticipation for the 77th National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy is reaching its peak as the final round fixtures were officially announced on Sunday, January 14, 2024. The prestigious tournament is set to take place in Yupia, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, from February 21 to March 9, 2024, showcasing the best football talent from across the country.
Groups and Teams
The twelve participating teams were sorted into two groups of six each during the draw conducted in November. Hosts Arunachal Pradesh, defending champions Karnataka, and last season’s finalists Meghalaya secured automatic qualification for the final round. The remaining nine spots were earned by the group stage winners – Goa, Delhi, Manipur, Assam, Services, and Maharashtra, along with the three best second-placed teams – Kerala, Mizoram, and Railways.

Opening Matches
The tournament’s opening match, scheduled for February 21 at 10:00 IST, will witness Meghalaya, aiming to replicate their remarkable run from the previous year, face Services in the Group A encounter. Following this, former champions Kerala will lock horns with Assam at 14:30 IST, and Arunachal Pradesh, hosting the Santosh Trophy for the first time, will kickstart their campaign against Goa at 19:00 IST.
Group B Opener and Format Changes
The action in Group B will commence on February 22, with defending champions Karnataka squaring off against Delhi at 10:00 IST. Manipur and Railways will then clash at 14:30 IST, followed by Maharashtra taking on Mizoram at 19:00 IST, concluding the opening round of fixtures.
A notable change in the tournament format is the expanded knockout stage, allowing the top four teams from each group to progress to the quarter-finals, slated for March 4 and 5. The semi-final stage is scheduled for March 7, with the much-anticipated final set to take place on March 9 at 19:00 IST.
Detailed Fixture List
Here is the detailed fixture list for the group stage matches:
February 21: Meghalaya vs Services (10 am), Assam vs Kerala (2.30 pm), Goa vs Arunachal Pradesh (7 pm).
February 22: Delhi vs Karnataka (10 am), Manipur vs Railways (2.30 pm), Maharashtra vs Mizoram (7 pm).
February 23: Arunachal Pradesh vs Services (10 am), Meghalaya vs Assam (2.30 pm), Goa vs Kerala (7 pm).
February 24: Karnataka vs Mizoram (10 am), Maharashtra vs Manipur (2.30 pm), Delhi vs Railways (7 pm).
February 25: Services vs Goa (10 am), Kerala vs Meghalaya (2.30 pm), Arunachal Pradesh vs Assam (7 pm).
February 26: Mizoram vs Delhi (10 am), Railways vs Maharashtra (2.30 pm), Karnataka vs Manipur (7 pm).
February 28: Assam vs Services (10 am), Kerala vs Arunachal Pradesh (2.30 pm), Meghalaya vs Goa (7 pm).
February 29: Manipur vs Mizoram (10 am), Railways vs Karnataka (2.30 pm), Maharashtra vs Delhi (7 pm).
March 1: Services vs Kerala (10 am), Goa vs Assam (2.30 pm), Arunachal Pradesh vs Meghalaya (7 pm).
March 2: Mizoram vs Railways (10 am), Delhi vs Manipur (2.30 pm), Karnataka vs Maharashtra (7 pm).

Knockout Stage Schedule:
Quarter-finals (March 4): Group A Position 1 vs Group B Position 4 (2.30 pm), Group A Position 2 vs Group B Position 3 (7 pm).
Quarter-finals (March 5): Group B Position 1 vs Group A Position 4 (2.30 pm), Group B Position 2 vs Group A Position 3 (7 pm).
Semi-finals (March 7): Winners of Quarter-final 1 vs Winners of Quarter-final 4 (2.30 pm), Winners of Quarter-final 3 vs Winners of Quarter-final 2 (7 pm).
Final (March 9): Winners of Semi-final 1 vs Winners of Semi-final 2 (7 pm).
Football enthusiasts and supporters of the game are eagerly looking forward to witnessing the drama, skill, and sportsmanship that the 77th National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy promises to deliver. As the countdown begins, football fans across the nation are gearing up to cheer for their favorite teams in this celebration of Indian football talent. Stay tuned for more updates and in-depth coverage on our news portal!