Assam to host Santosh Trophy

One of the major football tournaments of the country Santosh Trophy’s 65th edition would be hosted by Assam this year as AIFF general secretary Kushal Das visited the venues in Guwahati and around on Monday and expressed his satisfaction with the infrastructure.

“I’m quite impressed with the infrastructure available here and I think Assam is ready to host international matches in the coming days,” Das said after he visited the stadiums and accommodation facilities in the city on Monday.

The AIFF official also said that besides Santosh Trophy matches Assam would host several international soccer friendlies in the later part of the year.

“Though the teams are yet to be decided against whom India would be playing in Guwahati for the time being but it is sure that several matches would be held here from August to December. Due to some problems we could not provide matches here last year,” Das said adding that Assam Football Association (AFA) secretary and vice-president of All India Football Federation (AIFF) Ankur Dutta has done an encouraging work in this regard.

The Northeast is also all set to have a zonal football academy of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) as informed by AIFF general secretary Kushal Das.

Sunanda Dhar, the CEO of I League, who was also present during the media interaction, expressed his grief that with the relegation of Lajong FC of Shillong from I League has been a major set back of the country’s football scenario.

“The loss of Lajong has been a great lost for the Indian football as with them we have lost lot of colour and fans. Last year what we have seen during the matches featuring Lajong is very encouraging. We hope they would be back in the I League,” he said.