Draws Announced for 2024-25 Sub-Junior National Football Championships

The draws for the 2024-25 Sub-Junior Boys' and Girls' National Football Championships took place, setting the stage for exciting matches. Tier 1 for boys starts in Karnataka, while girls kick off in West Bengal. Details of teams, groups, and previous champions have been shared.

The draws for the Tier 1 and Tier 2 of the Sub-Junior Boys' and Girls' National Football Championships for 2024-25 were unveiled at the Football House on Friday. According to AIFF, the Sub-Junior Boys' NFC Tier 1 will commence in Karnataka on September 7, whereas the fixtures for Tier 2 are yet to be finalized. In contrast, the Sub-Junior Girls' NFC Tier 1 will start in West Bengal on September 2, and Tier 2 will follow in Madhya Pradesh on September 8.

In the Sub-Junior Boys' NFC Tier 1, 16 teams will compete in four groups, with group winners advancing to the semi-finals. Tier 2 comprises 17 teams divided into four groups, one with five teams and three with four, with those group winners also progressing to the semi-finals. The girls' competition will feature 15 teams in two tiers, similarly divided into four groups each, with the top teams making it to the semi-finals.

Last season's champions included Mizoram for the Sub-Junior Boys' NFC Tier 1, Bihar for Tier 2, Jharkhand for the Sub-Junior Girls' NFC Tier 1, and Karnataka for Tier 2. The groupings for this year's Sub-Junior Boys' NFC Tier 1 in Karnataka from September 7 are: Group A - Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, Punjab; Group B - Manipur, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Kerala; Group C - Mizoram, Meghalaya, Odisha, Delhi; Group D - Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, West Bengal. Groupings for Tier 2 are yet to be determined. The Sub-Junior Girls' NFC groups are also outlined, with detailed match schedules and further updates expected soon.

(With inputs from agencies.)