16 clubs from Mumbai, Kolhapur, Nagpur, Pune, Nasik and Solapur will be participating in the 1st WIFA State Youth Championship, which is being organised by the Western India Football Association (WIFA) as part of the FIFA-AIFF State Development Project.

All the matches will be played at The Cooperage Stadium in Mumbai with the tournament set to kick off tomorrow, April 21 and run until May 1, 2017.

Both Mumbai and Pune will be represented with four clubs each, while two clubs each from Kolhapur, Nagpur, Nasik and Solapur will be participating in this first-ever tournament.

The teams have been divided in four groups and the initial phase will be played on a round-robin league basis. The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout quarterfinals from where to winners will move into the semifinals and final.

1st WIFA State Youth Championship – Groupings

Group A
Khandoba Talim Mandal (Kolhapur), All India Youth Football Academy (Pune), Rabbani FC (Nagpur), Goans FC (Mumbai)

Group B
Mumbai School Sports Association, J.J. Academy (Mumbai), Mathew Football Academy (Pune), Deccan FC (Pune)

Group C
St. John’s Club (Nagpur), Nasik Football Coaching Centre, Mumbai FC, Hotel Mantralay FC (Solapur)

Group D
Keshav Madhav Pratishtan (Pune), Magic Made FC (Solapur), Patakadil Talim Mandal (Kolhapur), St. Xaviers FC (Nasik)

(WIFA)