Football fans, get ready for some exciting action coming up soon! The Santosh Trophy Group Stage 2025–26 kicks off on December 5 and goes on until December 20. The Final Round will follow from January 1 to January 20, 2026.
The AIFF will share the full fixtures and other details soon. The Santosh Trophy is one of the most-watched football tournaments in India, and fans enjoy every match each year.
This article covers the Santosh Trophy Group Stage 2025–26, including teams, format, venues, and how to follow the match live.
Santosh Trophy Group Stage Format and Structure
In the 2024–25 Santosh Trophy Group Stage, teams were split into nine groups and played each other in a round-robin format. Group winners and some runners-up moved on to the Final Round.
The Final Round had 12 teams divided into two groups of six. They played round-robin matches, and the top four from each group advanced to the knockout stage, ending with the final at a neutral venue.
The 2025–26 tournament is expected to follow the same format, with minor adjustments possible from the AIFF to keep the competition balanced across all zones.
Participating Teams in Santosh Trophy Group Stage
The 2025–26 Santosh Trophy is expected to feature 38 state and institutional teams, the same number as last season.
| Teams | Teams |
|---|---|
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Madhya Pradesh |
| Andhra Pradesh | Maharashtra |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Manipur |
| Assam | Meghalaya |
| Bihar | Mizoram |
| Chandigarh | Nagaland |
| Chhattisgarh | Odisha |
| Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu | Pondicherry |
| Delhi | Punjab |
| Goa | Rajasthan |
| Gujarat | Railways |
| Haryana | Services |
| Himachal Pradesh | Sikkim |
| Jammu and Kashmir | Tamil Nadu |
| Jharkhand | Telangana |
| Karnataka | Tripura |
| Kerala | Uttar Pradesh |
| Ladakh | Uttarakhand |
| Lakshadweep | West Bengal |
This lineup brings together teams from all major football zones in India. It includes established teams like Kerala and West Bengal, as well as institutional teams such as Services and Railways.
The tournament also gives lesser-known teams a chance to compete alongside traditional powerhouses.
Venues Hosting the Santosh Trophy Group Stage Matches
The official venues for the 2025–26 Santosh Trophy Group Stage have not been announced yet. The AIFF is expected to follow the multi-city hosting approach used in previous editions.
In 2024–25, group stage matches took place across eight cities: Amritsar, Phagwara, Kalyani, Agartala, Nalbari, Anantpur, Kozhikode, and Jaipur, giving teams a variety of locations to play in.
The Final Round was held at Hyderabad’s GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium, offering good facilities and a neutral venue for the knockout matches.
Similar arrangements are likely for the upcoming season once the AIFF confirms the schedule.
Winners of 2024–25 Santosh Trophy
West Bengal won the 2024–25 Santosh Trophy by beating Kerala 1–0 in the final at Hyderabad. This victory gave Bengal a record-extending 33rd title, making them the most successful team in the tournament’s history.
The win puts West Bengal in the spotlight as defending champions for the 2025–26 season. Fans will be watching to see if they can repeat their success.
Teams like Kerala, Services, Goa, and several other states are expected to challenge strongly, aiming to take the trophy away from the defending champions.
Where to Watch the Santosh Trophy Group Stage Games?
You can watch all Santosh Trophy Group Stage matches live on the SSEN app or SSEN.co
If you’re outside India, the matches are available on the FIFA+ app, covering over 190 countries.
Whether you’re supporting your home state or just love Indian football, you can follow every team and every match live, wherever you are.
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Conclusion: The 2025- 26 Santosh Trophy Group Stage Matches Will Begin On December 5, 2025
The 2025–26 Santosh Trophy Group Stage runs from December 5 to December 20, with 38 teams expected across India competing for a spot in the Final Round.
The knockout stage will then take place from January 1 to January 20, 2026, promising some intense football action.
Fans can expect matches at multiple venues, with each team aiming to make its mark.
Keep an eye on official AIFF channels for fixtures, timings, and venue updates to make sure you don’t miss any of the tournament’s highlights.
FAQs
The Santosh Trophy was first held in 1941, making it one of the oldest football tournaments in India and Asia.
The tournament is primarily for amateur players representing their states, though some professional players can participate under specific eligibility criteria.
The prize money varies each year and is announced by AIFF before the tournament begins, along with runner-up awards. But the West Bengal Team received a cash prize of Rs 50 lakh last year.
Yes, there is a women’s version of the Santosh Trophy, called the Senior Women’s National Football Championship.
The primary requirement to participate in the Santosh Trophy is that a team must be affiliated with the AIFF, representing a state, union territory, or government institution.
