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New Delhi, July 3
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 July 16 at the Dr. Ambedkar Stadium in New Delhi. Organizers announced the tournament schedule on Wednesday, along with a record prize pool and a new ₹2.5 lakh scholarship programme for young footballers.
The tournament is expected to bring together more than 45 school teams from across Delhi NCR, with over 1,500 student athletes competing in more than 50 matches. The competition will feature over 25 teams in the Boys Under 17 category and more than 16 teams in the Girls Under 19 category, reflecting increasing participation from schools across the region.
Organisers said the overall prize pool has been more than doubled, making it the highest in the tournament’s history. They also announced a ₹2.5 lakh scholarship programme that will support 10 deserving student athletes as part of the tournament’s continued focus on encouraging grassroots football. Speaking at the launch, Oriental Cup Founder Fareed Bakshi said the tournament continues to focus on creating opportunities for young footballers through stronger competition and meaningful support. He said the scholarship initiative and enhanced prize pool reinforce the organizers’ commitment to recognizing emerging talent. Bakshi also noted the significant rise in girls’ participation, stating that girls’ teams now account for nearly 40 percent of all participating teams.
The organisers said promoting equal opportunities for boys and girls remains one of the tournament’s key objectives and that efforts will continue to expand girls’ participation in future editions while strengthening grassroots football. The fourth edition will be supported by Oriental Structural Engineers Pvt. Ltd. as the title sponsor. Nivia Sports has joined as the Football Partner, Ocean Beverages as the Hydration Partner and Central Park Resorts as an Associate Partner.
Representatives of the partner organisations said their continued association reflects a shared commitment to promoting grassroots sport, nurturing young talent and providing student athletes with professionally managed competitive platforms.
Since its launch in 2023, the Oriental Cup has evolved into a prominent inter-school football tournament, engaging more than 55 educational institutions and NGOs, reaching over 2,700 young footballers and hosting more than 80 competitive matches. Organizers said the 2026 edition is expected to be the biggest and most competitive in the tournament’s history, further strengthening its role in grassroots football development.
