Defending champions West Bengal drew against hosts Assam in Group A; final round begins January 21, The All India Football Federation held the draw for the Santosh Trophy 2025–26 final round on Wednesday at Football House in New Delhi. Defending champions West Bengal will face hosts Assam in Group A.
The tournament began on January 21, 2026, in Dhakuakhana and Silapathar, both cities in Assam. This is the 79th edition of India’s senior men’s national football championship.
Group A and Group B Composition
Twelve teams will compete across two groups. Group A contains Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Nagaland, and Rajasthan. Group B includes Kerala, Services, Punjab, Odisha, Railways, and Meghalaya.
Assam qualified directly as the host state. West Bengal earned automatic entry after winning the Santosh Trophy 2024–25. Kerala entered as runners-up from last season. The other nine teams qualified by winning their respective groups during the December 2025 group stage.
December Group Stage Results
Punjab won Group A, Uttarakhand took Group B, and Railways topped Group C. Nagaland won Group D, Meghalaya claimed Group E, and Odisha finished first in Group F. Tamil Nadu, Services, and Rajasthan won Groups G, H, and I respectively.
The December group stage featured 35 teams across nine cities. The 51 matches produced 157 goals, averaging 3.08 goals per game.
Knockout Stage Schedule
The top four teams from each group will advance to the knockout rounds. The quarter-finals are scheduled for February 2 and 3. The semi-finals take place on February 5. The final is set for February 8. The AIFF has not yet announced specific venues for the knockout matches.
West Bengal Record and Tournament History
West Bengal holds the record for most Santosh Trophy titles with 32 wins. The state defeated Kerala in the 2024–25 final. Assam is hosting the final round for the first time in 15 years.
Services and Railways have won multiple Santosh Trophy titles. Punjab also has a strong history in the competition. Kerala has consistently reached the later stages of the tournament.
Streaming and Broadcast Details
Fans can watch all matches on YouTube and FIFA+ at no cost. The AIFF confirmed the streaming details in December 2025.
The Santosh Trophy started in 1941. States and institutional teams compete to represent their regions. The tournament has produced several players who later joined the Indian national team.
