The Ministry of Defence announced the conclusion of the 65th Subroto Cup International Football Tournament 2026, with Minerva Public School (MPS) CISCE, Mohali, winning the Junior Boys under-17 category. The tournament, which ran across five venues in Delhi and other Indian cities, brought together school teams from across the country to compete in youth football.
Key facts
- Minerva Public School Mohali defeated MIC EMHSS Kerala 3-2 in the Junior Boys (U-17) final at Dr. BR Ambedkar Stadium
- Prize money: Rs 5,00,000 for winners, Rs 3,00,000 for runners-up
- 83 matches played in the Junior Boys category alone
- Five match venues in Delhi: Dr. Ambedkar Stadium, Tejas Football ground, Pinto Park Football ground, Subroto Football ground and Rajokri Football ground
- Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Chief of the Air Staff, declared the tournament closed
- Suresh Raina, former Indian cricketer, was Guest of Honour at the finals
- Saint Patrick’s High School Gumla won Junior Girls (U-17) category
- Manik Para Vivekanand Vidyapeeth Jhargram won Sub Junior Boys (U-15) category in Bengaluru
Tournament history and significance
The Subroto Cup International Football Tournament is an annual youth football championship organised by the Ministry of Defence through the Subroto Mukerjee Sports Education Society. Named after Air Chief Marshal Subroto Mukerjee, the tournament has been running for 65 editions and is one of India’s longest-running international school football competitions. It aims to identify young talent and promote grassroots football development across the country.
The Junior Boys final match
Minerva Public School from Punjab opened the scoring early through Chetan Tiwari in the 7th minute. MIC EMHSS from Kerala equalised just before halftime when Thoufeeq scored in the 37th minute. The match turned decisively in the second half when Minerva scored twice in quick succession. Punshiba Meitei made it 2-1 in the 40th minute, followed by Md Azam Khan extending the lead to 3-1 in the 46th minute. Although MIC EMHSS pulled one goal back in the 65th minute, Minerva’s defence held firm under late pressure to secure a 3-2 victory.
Other category winners
Beyond the headline Junior Boys category, the tournament saw competitive matches across multiple age groups. Saint Patrick’s High School in Gumla, Jharkhand, claimed victory in the Junior Girls under-17 division by defeating Springfield Higher Secondary School from Aizwal. In the Sub Junior Boys under-15 category, Manik Para Vivekanand Vidyapeeth from Jhargram in West Bengal emerged as champions after beating Kamrup Metropolitan Senior Secondary School from Assam. These finals were held in Bengaluru.
How the tournament is structured
The Subroto Cup operates across multiple age categories to provide opportunities for different school groups. The Junior Boys and Junior Girls categories cover under-17 players, while Sub Junior categories focus on under-15 age groups. By organising matches at multiple venues across Indian cities, the tournament ensures that schools from different regions can participate without excessive travel burden while maintaining competitive standards.
What this means for you
If you are a school student interested in football, the Subroto Cup represents one of the premier platforms to showcase your talent at a national level. The tournament provides significant prize money and exposure, with winning teams receiving substantial awards. For schools, participation offers opportunities to develop sports programmes and identify young athletes. The emphasis on grassroots development means that even smaller schools and those from less developed regions can compete at this level.
What happens next
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh formally closed the 65th edition of the tournament during the prize distribution ceremony. Schools and students interested in competing in the 66th edition can watch for notifications from the Ministry of Defence and the Subroto Mukerjee Sports Education Society regarding registration timelines and eligibility criteria.