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The Santosh Trophy knock-out stage will be held in Saudi Arabia in February next year. Football News – Times of India

October 6, 2022
Bharat Times

New Delhi: In an unprecedented move, All India Football Federation ,aiff) is planning to conduct the knock-out phases of Santosh Trophy National Championship Saudi Arab at the beginning of next year.
AIFF President Kalyan Choubey and general secretary Shaji Prabhakaran: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with Saudi Arabian counterparts on Thursday to “study the possibility of staging the final stage of the Santosh Trophy” in the West Asian country in February 2023.
“The idea is to host the knock-out phase of the Santosh Trophy in select cities in Saudi Arabia to encourage state level players to dream big and engage the larger Indian community in Saudi with Indian football and for both A win-win situation can be created for the Federation,” the AIFF said in a release.

“The agreement comes as part of SAFF and AIFF’s efforts to not only enhance cooperation between key strategic partners in Asia, but also to provide an opportunity to strengthen the strong bonds between big people through football and culture. For also. Indian community Based in Saudi Arabia and Indian football.”
Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) President Yasir al-Mishali and general secretary Ibrahim Al Qasimi The agreement was signed on behalf of the West Asian country. The agreement was signed in the Saudi Arabian city of Dammam.
“The agreement will allow for a wide range of activities, including the provision of technical assistance, the organization and hosting of youth competitions for both men and women on a regular basis, as well as the exchange of football and governance experts.”
AIFF President Kalyan Choubey said: “This is a remarkable development for Indian football. Our aim is to create a new platform for Indian Football and spread it among Indian fans all over the world. I sincerely thank Saif for his active support in realizing our goal.”
AIFF general secretary Shaji Prabhakaran said: “This is an out-of-the-box idea that I am sure will help Indian football carve a niche for itself amongst its loyal fans who follow Indian football eagerly.
“Our aim is to take Indian football forward and explore all the possibilities. We are confident that this move will inspire players across the country to showcase their performances in front of a large audience.”