LIC support for State inter-district women’s football championship

by Shrutee K/DNS

Mumbai, April 24: The MDFA (Mumbai District Football Association) will be conducting the WIFA (Western India Football Association) Maharashtra State Inter-District Women’s (senior) Football Championship -2016, from April 26 to May 6, 2016. Life Insurance Corporation of India is supporting the tournament and footballs provided by Cosco, a leading sports goods manufacturer, will be used for the matches. Initially matches up to the semi-finals will be played simultaneously at the Goan Sports’ Association ground, Cross Maidan and Karnatak Sporting Association ground, Churchgate. The grand finale is slated to be played under floodlights on Friday, May 6.

A total of 15 district teams from across Maharashtra have confirmed their participation in this tournament, which will be played on a league-cum-knockout basis.

The participating teams have been divided into four groups and the tournament will be played in two phases. Matches in the first phase will be conducted for teams from Group-A and Group-C from April 26 and will be completed by April 29. Teams from Group-B and Group-D then compete in the second phase which will start from May 1 and finish on May 3.

The team which tops the group will qualify for the semi-finals, which will be played at the Cooperage ground. The winner’s of Group-A and Group-C will contest the first semi-final to be played on Saturday, May 30 and the winner’s of Group-B and Group-D will contest the second semi-final on Thursday, May 5. The grand finale is slated to be played under floodlights on Friday, May 6.

The winning team will be presented with the Champions’ trophy and a cash prize of Rs 15,000, while the losing finalist will receive the runners-up trophy and a cash award of Rs 10,000. A special award of Rs 5,000 will be presented to the ‘Best player of the tournament’.