The 2025–26 Santosh Trophy was the 79th edition of the Santosh Trophy, the premier competition in India for senior men's football teams representing their respective states/union territories and government institutions.
Venues The All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced in November 2025 that the group stage matches would begin the following month and would be played in nine venues. The venues and the corresponding groups that would play there were named. Hosts Assam and last year's finalists, West Bengal and Kerala were exempted from playing the group stage fixtures. Assam is hosting the event after 15 years. GroupCityStadiumCapacityAMahilpurMahilpur Stadium10,000BGreater NoidaSharda University Stadium–CRanchiBirsa Munda Football Stadium40,000DAgartalaUmakanta Mini Stadium5,000EShillongSSA Football Stadium15,100FNarayanpurRKM Sports Complex1,000GAnantapurRDT Stadium5,000HBengaluruBangalore Football Stadium–IJaipurVidyadhar Nagar Stadium–Dhakuakhana & DhemajiDhakuakhana Football Stadium & Silapathar Football StadiumKnockouts
Draws 38 teams entered the competition; West Bengal and Kerala, the finalists of the previous edition and Assam, the hosts received direct entry to the final round. The remaining 35 teams were divided into 1 group of 3 teams and 8 groups of 4 teams each. It was announced that the winners of each group would make the final round.
Group stage Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
Group E
Group F
Group G
Group H
Group I
Final round
Qualified teams Direct entrants (3)HostsAssamDefending championsWest BengalPrevious runners-upKerala GroupGroup winners (9)APunjabBUttarakhandCRailwaysDNagalandEMeghalayaFOdishaGTamil NaduHServicesIRajasthan
Group A
Group B
Knockout stage
Bracket
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Statistics RankPlayerTeamGoal(s)1Himanshu JangraDelhi92Abhishek PawarServices73Nirmal Singh BishtDelhi64Mukesh KumarRajasthan65Devadath STamil Nadu6Source: AIFF
Awards The following awards were given out at the end of the tournament: the top scorer, Best Goalkeeper, Player of the Tournament and Fair Play Award. AwardPlayerTeamTop ScorerBest GoalkeeperPlayer of the TournamentFair Play Award
Broadcasting TerritoryBroadcaster(s)Ref.YouTubeFIFA+ Global
See also 2025–26 Rajmata Jijabai Trophy
References
External links
Tournament results – home at FootyStats