NAHARLAGUN, Mar 31: The Arunachal Pradesh Football Association (APFA) has released its annual events calendar for 2018.
As per the schedule, the APFA will conduct the 5th Dera Natung U-16 State Level Football Tournament at RG Stadium here from 21 April, informed APFA general secretary Kipa Ajay.
The state team for the Sub-Junior National Football Championship will be selected from this tournament, based on the performance of the players, he said.
This tournament will be followed by a talent hunt for boys below 14 years of age for admission in the Arunachal Football Academy, scheduled to be held in May.
The second Arunachal Women Football League will be conducted in July, while the U-17 boys’ Football Tournament will be conducted in August.
The 7th Eagle Trophy Club Championship is scheduled to be conducted in Aalo, West Siang, during September, and the second Arunachal Super League will start at RG Stadium from October.
The zonal (qualifying) rounds of the state’s highest football tournament, the Tadar Tang State Level Football Tournament, will start from November, while the final round will be held in Namsai in December.
Like in previous years, the APFA has also decided to participate in the National Junior Football Championship for BC Roy Trophy, the Sub-Junior Boys National Football Championship, the Senior Women National Football Championship, the Junior Girls National Football Championship, and the Sub-Junior Girls National Football Championship this year, and has included these events in its events calendar.
The APFA highlighted the various activities carried out during the previous year for the development of football in the state. Prominent among them are launching of the non-residential football academy to nourish young talents; introduction of the Arunachal Super League, the State Women League and the U-17 State Level Football Tournament; and introduction of zonal qualifying rounds for Tadar Tang Football Tournament.
It also highlighted some of the achievements made in the previous and current years by Arunachal Pradesh in football. Some of them are winning the award for ‘best fair play team’ in T Ao Memorial U-21 centenary NEC Gold Cup held in Guwahati last month; reaching the semifinals of the 24th BC Roy National Football Championship in Himachal Pradesh; and winning the bronze in the 7th NEC Dr T Ao North East Football Tournament in 2017.
