Santosh Trophy: National Football Championship for to be held in Malappuram from April 16

New Delhi, March 31

The 75th National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy will be held in Malappuram, Kerala from April 16, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced on Thursday.

All the matches in the tournament are set to be held at two venues in Malappuram -- the Manjeri Payyanad Stadium and the Kottappadi Stadium.

A total of 10 teams will be participating in the National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy, with old foes West Bengal and Punjab set to kick-off the proceedings. The 10 teams have been divided into two groups of five each, with the top two teams from each group set to proceed to the semi-finals, which will be played on April 28 and 29.

The final of the tournament is set to be held on May 2 at the Manjeri Payyanad.

"The Hero 75th National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy is being hosted in Malappuram, Kerala, with logistical and infrastructural aid from the Government of Kerala," the AIFF said in a release.

Groups:

Group A: Meghalaya, Punjab, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Kerala

Group B: Gujarat, Karnataka, Odisha, Services, Manipur