King Fahd International Stadium to host Santosh Trophy semis & final

BHUBANESWAR: The semi-finals and final of the 76th National Football Championship for the Hero Santosh Trophy, to be held abroad for the first time ever, are set to take place between March 1 and March 4 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, it was announced on Thursday.

The AIFF Secretary General Shaji Prabhakaran, along with Avijit Paul, Executive Committee Member, AIFF, and Joint Secretary, Football Association of Odisha, addressed the local media in Bhubaneswar on the eve of the launch of the Santosh Trophy.

Prabhakaran informed the gathering that it was decided in a meeting between the AIFF and the Saudi Arabia Football Federation (SAFF) earlier in the day that the iconic King Fahd International Stadium will play host to the semi-finals and finals of the Hero Santosh Trophy.

The timings of the aforementioned matches will be announced at a later date.

"This is a great moment for Indian Football, as the four states that make it to the semifinals will get to fight for the Santosh Trophy title in Saudi Arabia. I would like to convey my sincere thanks to the SAFF for all their help and cooperation in helping us achieve this vision of taking the Hero Santosh Trophy to a next level," said Dr Prabhakaran.

"I would also like to profusely thank the Government of Odisha for extending their massive and continuing support in hosting the 12 teams in the Final Rounds of the Hero Santosh Trophy. The Government of Odisha has been extremely supportive in the development of sports and its infrastructure in the state, and football is one of the many beneficiaries of it," he added.