Shillong, Dec 13: There will be no Meghalaya team in the All India Football Federation’s Futsal Club Championship 2022-23 when it takes place in January next year.
The AIFF has stated that 13 teams will be taking part in the national-level event, which will take place in New Delhi from 9th January.
Eleven clubs that won their respective state-level futsal tournaments plus the top three from the 2021-22 nationals are taking part. Mohammedan Sporting qualify on both fronts and that’s why there are 13 participating teams.
This year Meghalaya didn’t hold its state-level tournament. Finding a suitable venue with the North East Olympic Games taking place proved to be a bit of a hurdle. Niaw Wasa were Meghalaya champions in 2021 but were knocked out in the group stage of the nationals that followed.
This year’s participating clubs are Juggernaut FC (from Gujarat), Electric Veng FC (Mizoram), Delhi FC (2021-22 champions), Bengaluru FC (2021-22 third-placed team), Dzawo 11 FC (Ladakh), Bangalore Premier Soccer Schools (Karnataka), Minerva Academy FC (Punjab), Aphuyemi FC (Nagaland), Speed Force FC (Telangana), Capital Complex FC (Arunachal Pradesh), Techtro Swades United FC (Himachal Pradesh), Mohammedan SC (2021-22 runners-up and West Bengal champions), Sports Odisha (Odisha).
Teams will likely be divided into two groups of seven and six teams where they will play in the round robin format before proceeding to the knockout rounds.
The AIFF’s futsal committee has recommended that the parent body nominate this year’s champions for the AFC Futsal Club Championship.
(File photo)
