The Bordoloi Trophy, one of India’s oldest and most popular football tournaments, is set for a major revival with 280 clubs and 5,600 players competing for the coveted title.
A total of 610 matches will be played over three months, starting in January 2025.
Named after Assam’s first Chief Minister, Gopinath Bordoloi, the tournament was first held in 1952. Although it was once one of India’s most prestigious football tournaments, it gradually lost its prominence over the years.
However, with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) stepping in to revitalize regional tournaments, the Guwahati Sports Association (GSA) has announced plans to revive and revamp the 72-year-old competition.
“From its inception until the first half of the 1990s, the Bordoloi Trophy was an immensely popular tournament, not only in Assam but across northeastern and neighboring states. People would eagerly wait for it all year long,” said GSA general secretary Devajit Saikia, recalling the competition’s iconic status.
“GSA has been working hard to bring back the glory days of the Bordoloi Trophy, a tournament with which the people of Assam have a deep emotional connection. With the support of the state government, we are unveiling it in a new format,” Saikia added.
Initially played at the GSA’s home ground, Judges’ Field, the tournament was later moved to the Nehru Stadium in Guwahati. In the past decade, it has been held across various towns in Assam.
New expanded format
Under the newly expanded format, the tournament will take place in three phases over 45 days.
“It will be a 45-day tournament with about 610 matches, featuring over 280 clubs and 5,600 players. District-level matches will be held from January 20 to February 5, 2025, followed by cluster-level matches, and then the final round,” Saikia explained.
For the first time, the tournament will kick off simultaneously in all 35 districts of Assam. Each district sports association will select its top eight clubs to compete in the first phase. District champions will move on to the cluster round, where the winners and runners-up will qualify for the final round.
The final round will be played at Judges’ Field in Guwahati from March 1, featuring district champions along with the top two teams from the Guwahati Premier League.
“We’re dividing Assam’s 35 revenue districts into six clusters based on geographical location. Our aim is to give maximum opportunities for players to compete and evolve the Bordoloi Trophy into a talent-scouting ground for top clubs,” Saikia said.
He further said that two additional teams, possibly from Kolkata, Kerala, Bangladesh, or Bhutan, could be invited for the final round.
In the past, top clubs from India, as well as teams from Bhutan, Bangladesh, Iran, and Russia, have participated in the Bordoloi Trophy. Mohun Bagan remains the most successful team, with seven titles, while Oil India clinched the trophy in the last edition.
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