The All India Governor’s Gold Cup, a popular football tournament in Sikkim, will be held in Gangtok starting November 8.

The Sikkim Football Association (SFA) will host the tourney after a gap of five years.

According to SFA sources, it will be the 40th edition of the tournament where 16 teams, including those from Malaysia, Nepal, the United Arab Emirates and Bhutan will take part.

The matches will be played at the Paljor Stadium in Gangtok. The final will be held on November 21.

SFA president Menla Ethenpa said they had received necessary approvals from the Centre for the participation of foreign teams.

“This tourney is accredited by the All India Football Federation (AIFF). The Union ministry of sports has endorsed the sports event and permissions have been granted by the Union home ministry,” Ethenpa said.

Among other teams are the North East United FC, the Chennai FC, the Sudeva FC (Delhi), the Gokulam Kerala FC, the Diamond Harbour FC (Calcutta), the Kalighat Milan Samiti (Calcutta), the Army Red, the Punjab Police, the Khwzawl Vegthar FC of Mizoram, the Sikkim Police, the Gangtok Himalayan SC and a team of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration from Darjeeling.

“During the past five years, we could not organise the tournament for certain reasons, including the Covid-19 pandemic. But this time, we are all set to host the event. Some foreign teams and prominent Indian clubs will play at the tournament,” Phurba Tamang, the general secretary of the SFA, said on Tuesday.

In earlier editions of the tourney, prominent football clubs including Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting Club of Calcutta had participated in it.

In 2019, when the event was held for the last time, Mohammedan Sporting Club won the champion's trophy.

Football academy

The Siliguri Municipal Corporation will inaugurate a football academy in the city on November 14.

Mayor Gautam Deb said on Tuesday that the academy would run at the Kanchanjunga Stadium.

Jayabrata Ghosh, an “A” licensed coach of the Asian Football Confederation, has been appointed as the chief coach of the academy.