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New Delhi , July 8
Defending champions Delhi Public School RK Puram and Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Faridabad, opened their Oriental Cup 2026 campaigns with convincing victories as the fourth edition of the school football tournament began at Dr Ambedkar Stadium on Tuesday. The tournament was inaugurated by Indian footballer Rohit Kumar, who encouraged participants and praised the initiative for promoting grassroots football.
Rohit Kumar attended the opening ceremony as the Chief Guest and interacted with the participating student footballers. Oriental Cup Founder Fareed Bakshi and Chief Operating Officer Arvinder Singh were also present. The opening day featured seven matches across the boys’ and girls’ categories, along with an exhibition fixture between NGOs STRIVE and Mera India Mera Adhikaar.
Addressing the young players, Rohit Kumar said tournaments such as the Oriental Cup provide aspiring footballers with an opportunity to display their talent and develop their passion for the game. He said dedication, commitment and access to competitive platforms play an important role in nurturing the next generation of footballers. In the boys’ competition, defending champions DPS RK Puram defeated Vasant Valley School 5- 0 after Abhav Bhardwaj scored a second-half hat trick. Aditya Lal and Ridit Dang also scored to complete the victory. In the girls’ competition, Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Faridabad, registered a 5-0 win over Navy Children School, with Somya scoring four goals and Ishu adding the fifth.
In other matches, Vasant Valley School defeated DPS RK Puram 3-0 in the girls’ category. Navy Children School recorded a 3-1 victory over Venkateshwar International School in the boys’ section. Sanskriti School edged Modern School 1-0, while Modern School defeated Sanskriti School 4-0 in the ‘girls’ competition. DPS Vasant Kunj also secured a 3- 0 win over Dev Samaj Modern School.
The exhibition match between STRIVE and Mera India Mera Adhikaar ended 1-1, with STRIVE winning the penalty shootout.
The Oriental Cup 2026 will continue until July 16 and is expected to feature more than 1,500 student athletes representing over 48 teams from across Delhi NCR. The tournament also offers an enhanced prize pool and a scholarship programme worth Rs 2.5 lakh for 10 deserving student athletes.
