Oriental Cup kicks off with record prize pool, scholarship push

New Delhi: The fourth edition of the Oriental Cup, one of Delhi-NCR's fastest-growing inter-school football tournaments, will be held from July 7 to 16 at the Dr Ambedkar Stadium, with organisers announcing a record prize pool and a new Rs 2.5 lakh scholarship programme for young footballers.

The tournament, whose dates were unveiled at a press conference at Aloft Hotel, Aerocity, on Wednesday, will feature more than 45 teams from leading schools across Delhi-NCR.

In a major boost for school football, the organisers revealed that the tournament's overall prize money has been more than doubled, making it the richest edition in the competition's history. They also launched a Rs 2.5 lakh scholarship initiative that will support 10 deserving student-athletes, underlining the tournament's focus on promoting grassroots football while encouraging academic excellence alongside sporting success.

Oriental Cup 2026 is expected to feature over 1500 participants representing more than 45 teams, with over 50 matches scheduled across the tournament with 25-plus teams in the Boys' Under-17 category and 16+ teams in the Girls' Under-19 category, ensuring schools have greater opportunities to compete while maintaining a high standard of football throughout the tournament.

Announcing the fourth edition, Fareed Bakshi, Founder, Oriental Cup, said, "Every edition of the Oriental Cup is about creating more opportunities for young footballers. This year, we have more than doubled the tournament's prize pool and introduced a ₹2.5 lakh scholarship programme for 10 deserving student-athletes, reinforcing our commitment to recognising and supporting young talent. We are equally encouraged by the remarkable growth in girls' participation, with the number of girls' teams doubling since our inaugural edition and now accounting for nearly 40 per cent of all participating teams. These milestones strengthen our belief that we are moving in the right direction as we work towards building the Oriental Cup into one of India's most respected inter-school football tournaments."

One of the defining features of the Oriental Cup has been its emphasis on creating equal opportunities for girls alongside boys. Building on this momentum, the organisers aim to further expand girls' participation in the coming years while continuing to strengthen the overall grassroots football ecosystem.

The tournament has continued to attract support from organisations that share its vision of promoting grassroots sport and youth development. The fourth edition will be supported by Oriental Structural Engineers Pvt. Ltd. as the title sponsor, with Nivia Sports as the Football Partner and Ocean Beverages as the Hydration Partner and Central Park Resorts as an Associate Partner.

Tags : Football, Oriental Cup, Delhi NCR, Ambedkar Stadium,