Kolkata, India · 5–20 December 2026 U-15 International · Est. 1893

Presented by Madhavan Sports Venture

IFA CUP 2026

Under-15 International Football Tournament · Kolkata, India

One city that has loved the game since 1893.

One of the world's oldest football competitions, reborn as a premier annual U-15 international tournament — where heritage meets the next generation.

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Why IFA Cup

A stage with history

The Indian Football Association has governed the game in Bengal since 1893 — one of the oldest football bodies in the world. The IFA Cup brings that legacy to a new generation.

Real international competition

Mix of overseas academies and India's youth sides. Every match is competitive, structured and scouted.

More than football

A heritage city tour, a gala dinner and a closing ceremony in the historic Maidan — the tournament is designed as a two-week experience, not just a fixture list.

Safety first

Card-based access control, full co-operation with local authorities, and safeguarding protocols across every venue and residence.

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About the Tournament

Building the Future
of Football

The IFA Cup is an under-15 international youth football tournament hosted in Kolkata by the Indian Football Association.

Founded in 1893, the IFA is the custodian of football in Bengal — a state where the game has been part of public life for over a century. The IFA Cup extends that responsibility forward: giving young players a genuine international standard of competition, at an age when it shapes everything that follows.

Twelve squads take part — leading Indian academies and international clubs — over sixteen days of league and knockout football.

1893IFA Founded
12Squads
16Days of Football
U-15Age Category

Owned by the Indian Football Association · Organised by Madhavan Sports Ventures

What We're Building

  • Competitive minutes against unfamiliar opposition for every player
  • A safe, supervised, fully residential environment
  • Exposure for academies, coaches and scouts across continents
  • A tournament young players remember for the rest of their careers
Format & Venues

How the
Tournament Runs

Format

  • 12 teams — league stage followed by knockout rounds
  • 16 days of competition, 5–20 December 2026
  • Squad size — 18 players + 4 support staff per delegation

Venues

League Matches — Sports Authority of India Ground, Kolkata

Full-size pitches, training facilities and medical support on site.

Opening & Closing Ceremonies — The Maidan

Kolkata's historic central green, home to the city's oldest clubs and the spiritual heart of Indian football.

Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium), Kolkata
Teams

Domestic & International.
One Trophy.

Invitations are extended to academies with an established under-15 programme and a commitment to player welfare.

Apply to Participate →

Participating teams will be listed here as confirmations land.

Participate — For International Teams

Everything Provided,
On the Ground

What's Included

Accommodation · 18 players + 4 staff All meals Local transport Officials, medical & venue costs Heritage city tour Opening, gala & closing Tournament kit & package

Participation Fee

USD 8,600 / team

Three instalments (dates & terms TBC). Excludes flights, visas, insurance, incidentals.

Accommodation

State Youth Hostel, Salt Lake Stadium premises

Player dormitories · staff twin-sharing · on-site canteen & parking, inside a controlled sports campus.

Safety & Safeguarding

Written child-protection policy, card-controlled team access, run in full co-operation with local police and civic authorities.

How to Apply

1. Submit the form below · 2. Receive cost breakdown & policy pack · 3. Confirm your place with the first instalment.

🔒 Submit the Expression of Interest below to unlock the Safeguarding Policy, Cost Breakdown and Team Brochure.

Safeguarding Policy ↓ Cost Breakdown ↓ Team Brochure ↓

Expression of Interest

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Partnership & Sponsorship

Put Your Brand Alongside
133 Years of History

The IFA Cup reaches families, academies, media and football institutions across India and six international markets — through a two-week tournament with ceremony, hospitality and broadcast moments built in.

TierWhat It Offers
Presenting PartnerTitle association across all tournament properties
Powered ByLead-tier visibility across venues and broadcast
Co-powered ByShared lead-tier visibility
Associate PartnerVenue, digital and ceremony presence
Official PartnerDesignated official status
Category PartnersKit, beverage, travel, health and other categories
Request the Partnership Deck →
The Host City

The City That Made
Football Indian

Kolkata has been playing organised football since the 1890s. Its clubs are among the oldest in Asia, its derbies fill stadiums of 60,000, and the game here is inherited rather than chosen.

Visiting teams get a full heritage day: colonial-era architecture, the Maidan, the riverfront, and the neighbourhoods where the city's football culture was built.

December is Kolkata's best month — dry, mild and made for football.

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Derby Crowds
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FAQ

Questions,
Answered

Aerial view of the stadium
Who can enter?

Academies and clubs with an established under-15 programme. Six international and six domestic places are available.

What is the age cut-off?

The player should be born between 01.01.2012 – 31.12.2014.

How many players can we bring?

18 players and 4 support staff per delegation.

What does the fee cover?

Accommodation, meals, local transport, venues, officials, medical cover, the city tour, the gala dinner and the participation package. Flights, visas and insurance are not included.

Do you help with visas?

Yes — we issue invitation letters and supporting documentation for visa applications.

Where do teams stay?

The State Youth Hostel inside the Salt Lake Stadium campus, Bidhannagar.

Can parents attend?

Parents can attend. Interested parents need to arrange their own accommodation and transport, and are not allowed inside the games village.

What is the refund policy?

The first instalment is not refundable. Please read the refund policy for more details.

Contact

Madhavan Sports Ventures

Tournament Office — Madhavan Sports Ventures

General Enquiriescontact@madhavansports.com
Team Participationdisari.c@madhavansports.com
Partnershipspriyodarshini.s@madhavansports.com
Mediaayan.b@madhavansports.com
Phone+91 98747 51316
★ Register Your Team