AIFF Media Team

NEW DELHI: The final edition of the 2018-19 Hero Santosh Trophy kicked-off at the Guru Nanak Stadium, in Ludhiana, on Monday, April 8.

The Qualifiers, which were held across various zones from around the country, saw as many as 10 teams make it to the finals.

Interestingly, both of last year’s finalists – champions Kerala and runners-up Bengal –two of the most successful teams in the history of the competition, have failed to qualify for the final round.

The tournament has been divided into two groups. While Group A consists of Delhi, Odisha, Meghalaya, Goa and Services, Group B comprises of Maharashtra, Sikkim, Karnataka, Assam, and hosts Punjab.

The top two teams from each group will make it to the semi-finals, which are scheduled to be held on April 19, while the final will be held on April 21.