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AIFF Media Team
NEW DELHI: The All India Football Federation confirms Manipur as the venue for the Group VI matches for the upcoming 76th Men’s National Football Championship for the Hero Santosh Trophy. The matches will be played from January 22, 2023 - January 31, 2023.
Earlier, five venues were finalised. While Group I will be played in Delhi (December 23, 2022 – December 31, 2022), the Group II, III, IV and V will be played in Kozhikode, Kerala (December 26, 2022 – January 8, 2023), Kokrajhar, Assam (December 28, 2022 – January 5, 2023), Kolhapur, Maharashtra (January 7, 2023 – January 15, 2023), and Bhubaneswar, Odisha (December 24, 2022 – January 1, 2023), respectively.
The Senior National Football Championships will be played in a new format that will see the 36 states fight it out across six groups for a chance to make it to the Final Round. The six group toppers, along with three best second-placed teams will qualify for the Final Rounds. Railways and Services will get direct entry along with the hosts.
Group VI: Chandigarh, Manipur, Jharkhand, Punjab, Lakshadweep and Himachal Pradesh.
Fixtures:
January 22: Chandigarh vs Manipur; Jharkhand vs Punjab; Lakshadweep vs Himachal Pradesh.
January 24: Lakshadweep vs Punjab; Himachal Pradesh vs Manipur; Jharkhand vs Chandigarh.
January 27: Lakshadweep vs Manipur; Punjab vs Chandigarh; Himachal Pradesh vs Jharkhand.
January 29: Lakshadweep vs Chandigarh; Manipur vs Jharkhand; Punjab vs Himachal Pradesh.
January 31: Manipur vs Punjab; Chandigarh vs Himachal Pradesh; Lakshadweep vs Jharkhand.