Jagran correspondent, Agra. Group B matches of the 79th Senior National Football Championship Santosh Trophy will now be organized at Sharda University in the city. These matches will be played from 21 to 25 December. This is the first time that Agra city has got to host a prestigious tournament like Santosh Trophy.
Earlier these matches were to be held in Meerut, but due to increasing pollution in the country and the ban imposed by the Supreme Court on all outdoor sports activities in NCR till December 31, the Indian Football Association (AIFF) changed the venue.
Agra Region Football Association President Billu Chauhan said that all preparations for the event are going on in full swing. The ground of Sharda University is of excellent standard and all arrangements are being made for the smooth conduct of the matches. Teams from Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana and Chandigarh will participate in Group-B. A total of six matches will be played between these four teams, which will be in round-robin format.
Changes made in view of serious level of pollution
This change has been made in view of the severe level of pollution in the NCR region. Due to the Supreme Court ban, outdoor sports events were not possible in cities like Meerut, which gave Agra this opportunity.
This is a great news for football lovers, because for the first time, matches of this national level championship will be seen in Agra. This will also inspire local players and football will develop.