Tuesday, Oct 29, 2024 22:00 [IST]
Last Update: Monday, Oct 28, 2024 16:27 [IST]
Four foreign clubs from Nepal, Bhutan, Malaysia & Dubai
GANGTOK,: After a four-year hiatus, Sikkim’s showpiece football tournament Governor’s Gold Cup is making a strong comeback with sixteen teams including four international clubs competing for the prized trophy here at Paljor Stadium.
Clubs from Malaysia and Dubai have given their confirmation to participate in the 40th Governor’s Gold Cup international football tournament which starts from November 8 and ends on November 21, informed the organisers Sikkim Football Association (SFA) at a press meet here on Monday.
Nepal league champions Church Boys and Bhutan league winners Transport United are also featuring in this AIFF-accredited tournament.
All the four foreign clubs have been given a direct quarterfinal berth, said SFA president Menla Ethenpa.
While participation of the Nepal and Bhutan clubs is a certainty, the participation of the Dubai and Malaysia clubs are subject to confirmation of visas and clearances from External Affairs, Home Affairs and Sports ministries, added Ethenpa. He informed the SFA through the AIFF has submitted all necessary paperwork to the concerned ministries for allowing entry to the two foreign clubs.
Representing Sikkim are 2023 A league champions Sikkim Police and runners up Gangtok Himalayan SC. The two clubs were selected based on last year’s results as the 2024 A division league is still being ongoing.
The neighbouring Darjeeling hills will be represented by GTA XI with the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) given the responsibility to send their strongest squad.
The remaining ten teams are drawn from various places of India along with those playing in ISL, I-League and Kolkata league. They include Northeast United FC, Chennai FC, Gokulam Kerala FC, Sudeva FC Delhi, Diamond Harbour FC Kolkata, Army Red, Punjab Police, Kalighat Milan Samity and Khawzawl Vengthar FC Mizoram (State I-Day football tournament champions).
The SFA president informed that the weekend days of November 9 and 10 will host double matches. In other days, we will have single matches, he said.
We are also trying to conduct 2-3 matches under floodlights and discussions are going on regarding this, said Ethenpa.
The SFA president shared that the Governor’s Gold Cup tournament is being organised in a grand manner this time under the guidance of Chief Minister PS Golay. The Chief Minister has been encouraging football and footballers in Sikkim and as per his guidance, we have made strong preparations for the tournament and the participating teams, he said.
The Governor’s Gold Cup was last held in 2019 which was won by Kolkata club Mohammedan SC. The annual tournament then could not be held due to Covid pandemic, stadium renovation and other reasons.