Siliguri to host Santosh Trophy

Silliguri will play host to the final rounds of the Santosh Trophy next year, according to AIFF sources.

Though the dates are yet to fianlised, the AIFF hopes to stage the competition from February 16 to March 1. As per the new rule, the final rounds will be held after the five zonal meets.

Goa will play their zonal qualifiers in the National Football Championship for theSantosh Trophy at home. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has confirmed the five zonal venues with Goa being handed the right to host the West Zone.

Goa initially bid to host the final round but had to withdraw after the dates clashed with the Lusofonia Games. The AIFF were unwilling to accommodate fresh dates but with the Indian Super League (ISL) later getting postponed by nine months, the Santosh Trophy dates have also been pushed.

The West zone, to be played between the last week of January and early February, will include the likes of Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Daman and Diu.

"There will be five zones with the top two teams qualifying for the final round in Silliguri. There will not be any direct qualifiers. Even the host will have to qualify through the zonals," said Anil Kamat, director (competitions), AIFF.Bengal will host the final round in Silliguri but will have to navigate a complicated East zone group in Sikkim.

The hosts for the zonal qualifiers include Goa (west), Tamil Nadu (south), Delhi (north), Sikkim (east) and Mizoram (north east).