Desar: AIFF’s Senior Men’s Futsal Club Championship is scheduled to be held at Swarnim Gujarat Sports University (SGSU), Desar between 22nd June and 7th July 2024. As many as 19 teams from across the country are participating in the tournament happening for the first time in Gujarat. Team of Baroda Football Academy from Gujarat is also one of the participants by virtue of being the Champion of GSFA Futsal Club Championship in 2023. 

Fifteen teams have been nominated by their respective state associations, while four semi-finalist teams (Delhi Football Club, Mohammedan Sporting Club, Minerva Academy FC, Electric Veng Futsal Club), of last season’s Hero Futsal Club Championship have been given direct entry.

The tournament will be played on a league cum knock-out round format where group winners of all four groups will make the Semi-finals. Final will be played on 7th July subsequent to the semifinals.

The Groups are as follows:

Group A: Millat FC, Sports Odisha, Classic Football Academy, Corbett FC, Mohammedan SC

Group B: Electric Veng Futsal Club, Bangalore Arrows FC, Satvir Football Club, Goal Hunterz FC, Minerva Academy FC

Group C: Baroda Football Academy, FC Thrystior, Speed Force FC, Guwahati City FC, Ambelim Sports Club

Group D: JCT Football Academy, Golazo Football Club, Casa Berwani Soccer, Delhi FC

The Gujarat State Football Association (GSFA) president Shri Parimal Nathwani expressed happiness on this occasion and said GSFA takes pride in bringing this national futsal championship to Gujarat. GSFA had successfully organised the Indian Women League in Ahmedabad last year, he said. Shri Nathwani especially thanked Dr. Arjunsinh Rana, vice chancellor of SGSU for providing the newly built indoor hall with 60x40 ft wooden floor, which is ideally suited for futsal, and other infrastructure for this tournament.

GSFA, in its commitment to strengthen football sports in Gujarat, has busy calendar with its own inter-district football events. At the same time, it takes initiatives in bringing national level tournaments in Gujarat so that the football players and fans get a chance to see the national talents at home.

GSFA Secretary Shri Mulrajsinh Chudasama is personally overseeing the arrangements. While the officials of AIFF, GSFA and SGSU are on their toes to make the event successful, the matches of the tournament will be telecast live on AIFF’s U-tube channel.