Marred by age row last year, Chandigarh to host Football Cup in September

The All-India Administrator’s Challenge Football Cup, which had to be cancelled last year following a controversy, is all set to make a comeback in the last week of September.

After falling to conduct some of the last session’s scheduled championships, barring the civil services tournaments, the UT Sports Department has once again planned to conduct at least 16 events for local sportspersons. The list also features the 20th edition of the Administrator’s Challenge Football Cup, which was cancelled despite the arrival of the participating teams from different parts of the nation due to ‘age verification’ controversy.

While hearing a parent’s plea on the eve of the start of the tournament (November 19 last year), the Punjab and Haryana High Court had ordered ossification test of all players. The department had requested authorities at the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, and Government Multi-Speciality Hospital, Sector 16, to conduct the test on 340 players (representing 17 teams) at the earliest, but to no avail.

Sources said the department would also organise the Administrator’s Challenge Badminton Cup, which was announced to be organised last year but had to be postponed due to the football event controversy.

After conducting summer camps of various disciplines last month, the department will now conduct a swimming championship for various age groups, including under-11 years, U-14, U-17 and U-19 (boys and girls), this month. This will be followed by Special Olympic State Table Tennis Meet and weightlifting championship for sub-junior and junior (boys and girls) categories.

In August, the department has decided to conduct only one event — archery championship for U-14 and U-17 (boys and girls). National Sports Day will be celebrated on August 29.

In the following month, a table tennis championship for U-14, U-17 and U-19 (boys and girls) and Special Olympic State Judo Championship will be held.

Chandigarh Marathon in October

The department will organise the first ever Chandigarh Marathon, which will see participation of national and international runners, in October. The parameters (route, rest area and halting points) have already been planned. The event will be followed by handball championship for U-14, U-17 (boys and girls), and badminton championship for U-15 and U-17 (boys and girls).

In November and December, the department has planned to conduct U-19 athletics championship (boys and girls), U-17 kabaddi (boys and girls) competition, U-17 basketball (boys and girls) tourney and taekwondo tournament for U-14, U-17 and U-19 (boys and girls) categories.

In another first, the department has planned to organise a U-19 cricket tournament in December and January 2026, followed by an athletics meet for special kids. Like previous year, All-India Civil Services Tournaments will be organised as per allotment by the Central Civil Cultural and Sports Board.

“We will be conducting many championships for the first time. Most importantly, our all-India football event will be held this year. On similar lines, the badminton event which was actually planned for the last session will be also conducted and first ever international marathon will be another event to watch,” said Sorabh Kumar Arora, Director Sports.

Chandigarh