GUWAHATI, Oct 22 - The Guwahati Sports Association (GSA) has decided to organise the initial part of the 65th Bharat Ratna Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Trophy Football Tournament at Dibrugarh and Mukalmua.
However, the semifinals and final will be played at the Nehru Stadium here under lights.
This year the organisers did not prefer to invite any foreign team for the tournament while four teams from outside the State � BSA Jullandhar, Mohammedan Sporting, Kolkata, Shillong and Trau, Imphal will be seen in action
Informing this in a press conference here today, the organising committee president Lakhya Konwar said that altogether eight teams will vie for the title and the teams have been divided into two groups. The preliminary group league matches will be played at Dibrugarh and Mukalmua respectively from October 27 onwards.
At Dibrugarh, a local organising committee under Dibrugarh Sports Association will conduct the tournament at the Chowkidingi Field while the Mukalmua Anchalik Krira Sangha will organise the B Group league matches at the Mukalmua Mini Stadium.
Top two teams of each group will qualify to play semifinals on November 6 and 7 at the Nehru Stadium, here while the final is slated for November 9.
The Group A will comprise of BSF of Jullandhar, Oil India FC of Duliajan, Shillong and ASEB Sports Club. Teams in Group B are-Mohammedan Sporting, Kolkata, Barhoonkha AC, Kokrajhar, Trau FC, Imphal, Assam Police Blues.
GSA secretary Dhruba Jyoti Kalita said, the top two teams will walk away with purses of Rs 3 lakh and Rs 2 lakh respectively. Match money will also be given to the participating teams. The host organisations of the league phase will be provided the required support, informed Kalita.
Munin Nobis, president of GSA informed that Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal will inaugurate the championship at Dibrugarh on October 27 and the opening match will be played between BSA, Jullandhar and Oil India FC, Duliajan.