Federation Cup to return in 2016?

Football, Indianfootball, Federation Cup, Kerala, Soccer

The I-league executive committee meeting happened today evening and news is trickling out that Federation Cup will be revived in 2016. A PTI report quotes sources inside AIFF in a report confirming this development.

“It has informally decided that AIFF is likely re-start the Federation Cup from May, 2016 after the conclusion of the I-league. It has been decided that Federation Cup will be a month-long affair rather than being a 10-day thing which has been the norm. It will be held in home and away knock-out basis,” says an unidentified AIFF official in the PTI report.

The logic behind this quick reversal of ideas is attributed to the fact that I-league will only be a nine-team affair after Royal Wahindoh’s pull out.

“Look, if it is a 9-team I-League, then each team will play only 16 I-League matches. That is an insufficient number. Now to play the qualifying rounds of the AFC Champions League, a club needs to play a minimum of 18 matches in a year,” the source said.

“So Federation Cup will be an 8-team affair. So at least 8 teams will get a chance to play 18 matches. The 9th team of I-League in any case will be relegated. The decision to have a one-month Federation Cup was taken on AIFF Academy Director Scott Odonell’s recommendation. It was seconded by senior vice-president Subrata Dutta,” said the official to PTI.

 

Read the PTI report here.

Federation Cup 2014-15, revised fixtures

Football, Indianfootball, Federation Cup, Kerala, SoccerSchedule of 2014-15 is altered by All India Football federation. The competition will take place in Goa starting from 28th December and ending on 11th January. Ten participating clubs are divided in to two groups. Group A matches will take place in JN stadium, Margoa and Group B Matches in Tilak Maidan, Vasco

Group A :

Mumbai FC, Royal Wahingdoh FC, Dempo SC, East Bengal Club, Sporting Clube de Goa.

Group B :

Bengaluru FC, Salgaocar FC, Pune FC, Shillong Lajong FC, Mohun Bagan AC

Group A fixtures :

Date : 28-Dec

[match id=1028]

Date : 29-Dec

[match id=1029]

Date : 30-Dec

[match id=1030]

Date : 31-Dec

[match id=1031]

Date : 01-Jan

[match id=1032]

Date : 02-Jan

[match id=1033]

Date : 04-Jan

[match id=1034]

Date : 05-Janc

[match id=1035]

Date : 06-Jan

[match id=1036]

Date : 07-Jan

[match id=1037]

Group B fixtures :

Date : 28-Dec

[match id=1038]

Date : 29-Dec

[match id=1039]

Date : 30-Dec

[match id=1040]

Date : 31-Dec

[match id=1041]

Date : 01-Jan

[match id=1042]

Date : 02-Jan

[match id=1043]

Date : 04-Jan

[match id=1044]

Date : 05-Jan

[match id=1045]

Date : 06-Jan

[match id=1046]

Date : 07-Jan

[match id=1047]

Semifinals

(Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Margao):

Date : 09-Jan

Winner Group A – Runners-up Group B
Winners Group B – Runners-up Group A

Final

Date : 11-Jan

(Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium)
Winner SF 1 – Winner SF 2

Heartbreak for Kashmir, Federation Cup to be hosted in Goa

Football, Indianfootball, Federation Cup, Kerala, SoccerAccording to a report in Times of India, Federation Cup which was to be hosted in Kashmir in May 2015 will be postponed to December 2015 and  will be shifted to Goa.

A senior official from AIFF was quoted in TOI saying “We have asked Goa if they are willing to host the tournament in December 2014. Unfortunately, there is now a change in plan and the Federation Cup cannot be played in May (2015) since the Indian team has international assignments and many players consider May as off-season,”

AIFF is finding it difficult to squeeze in different tournaments, the internationals and the upcoming Indian Super league in next year’s calendar. The report in TOI says that Federation cup was postponed because many players are busy with Asian Games preparations and the lined up International friendlies. Clubs like Dempo and Sporting Clube De Goa will be in a highly disadvantageous position if Federation Cup takes place in May. They have 5 and 4 players respectively in the Asian Games preparatory squad.

More on the same here,

 

I-league to start in December, Fedration Cup not axed!

AIFF, All India Football Federation, Soccer, New Delhi

AIFF Executive Committee met at the All India Football Federation Headquarters, Football House in the Capital on May 14, 2014 (Wednesday). Here is all you need to know about the decisions that were arrived upon in the meeting!

  • Mr. Praful Patel in his visit to Zurich has expressed interest to the FIFA Boss Sep Blatter about hosting the FIFA World Club Cup in 2017 and also in 2018. The outcome of these bids will be known in December 2014.
  • Indian Super League, the new franchise league will kick off in September 2014.
  • A special committee to advice the technical structure of 2017 U-17 FIFA World cup to be constituted. Baichung Bhutia, National Captain Sunil Chhetri and the Current coach of Salogaocar club Derrick Periera to be part of the panel.
  • The  Coca-Cola Cup (National Sub-Junior Tournament) will be the main scouting platform for players for the 2017 U-17 World Cup. Boys born on or after January 1, 2000 will be eligible for the Championship.
  • An U-15 league which involves teams from clubs, AIFF regional academies and others was also proposed!
  • 3 crore budget allotted for the preparations for U-23 team for Incheon Asian Games.
  • Unlike earlier speculation in the media, Federation Cup to be hosted in Jammu and Kashmir in May 2015.
  • Appointed an integrity officer to deal with corruption and match-fixing by June 2104 as stipulated by AFC and FIFA.
  • Centralized registration of players to kick-in by July 31, 2014. Further to this, all inter-State transfers to take place through this online system.

On I-league :Airtel I-league, TenAction

  • I-league to kick off in the first week of December.
  • Coaches / Technical Director of I-league teams should be an AFC A-License holder. Even entry to the dressing rooms of a team is barred if you don’t hold AFC A-License!
  • All clubs to sign a marquee player among their foreign recruits. If failed to do so, the entire foreign contingent of players will not be allowed to play.  AIFF’s definition of marquee player to be intimated to the clubs very soon.
  • The I-league licensing committee to meet on May 21 and decide on the future of clubs on the licensing criteria front.

Sushant Mathew Joins Rangdajied United on Loan

Rangdajied United, Shillong, Football, Soccer, I-league, India, Federation Cup, IMG - Reliance, Indianfootball, Meghalaya, Kerala, WayanadVastly experienced kerala player Sushant Mathew has joined Shillong outfit Rangdajied United on loan from IMG-Reliance.

Sushant Mathew who had a splendid career with big clubs such as Mahindra United, East Bengal and Mohun Bagan is currently in Kerala with Rangdajied United squad for the upcoming Federation Cup.

“Sushanth is a talented player and I know him very well. He always comes out with hundred per cent effort and that will help us in Federation Cup and remaining I-League matches,” said Santosh Kashyap to TOI.

We wish Sushant Mathew a successful stint with Rangdajied United.

Kozhikode to host Federation Cup?

Kozhikode, Football, Kerala, Federation Cup, Indianfootball , I-league

Pic Courtesy : The Hindu

With AIFF making the announcement that the upcoming Federation Cup will be held in Kerala, the state is fumbling to decide upon a venue.

It was earlier touted that Malappuram will be hosting the tournament. Kerala Football Association President visited the stadium in Manjeri and expressed optimism in conducting the Federation cup.

Few days after the incident, it is being reported that Kozhikode will be in fact hosting the tournament. The Corporation stadium in Kozhikode is also under renovation. According to reports, there is a lot of work to be finished before November, which seems highly unlikely.

According to another report that has appeared, it seems Kozhikode District Football Association seems to have almost gave up on hosting the Federation Cup.

With the Kochi Jawahar Lal Nehru seems to be courting all kind of wrong attention for the washed out Duleep Trophy matches, Kerala Football Association seems to be in a conundrum about hosting the federation cup.

Federation Cup to be held in Kerala from Jan 1st 2014

Fed_CupMr. ZA Thakur Chaired All India Football Federation’s Competition Committee which meet at the AIFF Headquarters, the Football House on Wednesday (October 9). Besides Mr. Thakur and Vice-Chairman Mr. Menla Ethenpa, Mr. Debjyoti Mukherjee, Mr. Syed Imtiaz Hussain, Mr. Deepak Sharma, Mr. Hem Chand, Mr. Babli Mandrekar, Mr. GK Shrivastava and Mr. Harish Vohra also attended the Meeting. The AIFF General Secretary Mr. Kushal Das was also present as was Mr. Anil Kamat, Director, Competitions.

The Committee unanimously decided on the following:

The Federation Cup would be held in Kerala from January 1-12, 2014.

The Santosh Trophy would be played in two phases – the Zonals and then the Final phase. While the Final Phase would be held in Siliguri, West Bengal between January 15-31, 2014, the Zonals are slated to be held between December 1-20, 2013.

Besides the U-14 Tournament for Boys would be held in Kalyani, West Bengal between November 10-30, 2013.

The Junior National Football Championship for Girls would be held in Odisha from November 20 to December 5, 2013.

Source : AIFF Media Team

Will a Kerala team participate in Federation cup?

Fed_CupWith Kerala being the hosts for the next Federation Cup, the big question is will a Kerala team get to participate?

With no team in the fray for I-league and no team reaching the final stages of I-league second division last time around, technically there is no place for any Kerala team in the Federation Cup.

If Malayalam media reports are to go by, Kerala FA will be placing a request to AIFF to include a Kerala team for Federation Cup. Kerala Police, SBT and Eagles FC are the names that are being touted. AIFF’s indifference towards departmental clubs means, if a slot is allowed, Eagles FC has a fair chance to make it.

Eagles_FC_Kerala

 

Manjeri, in Malappuram district would be the venue if the ongoing stadium construction gets completed by the time of the championship.