MARGAO
Dempo Sports Club, Salgaocar FC and Sporting Clube de Goa are amongst the 37 teams from all over the country that will ply their trade in the U-18 I-League which is slated to kick off on November 14 in Maharashtra zone.
All the teams from I-League, Second Division League, a few football academies and one team from Indian Super League will cross their swords to clinch the silverware. The teams from every zone will play on a home and away basis among themselves in the round robin stage and 12 teams will qualify to the National Final Round eventually.
Those twelve teams will be divided into three groups and the group champions along with the best second placed team will qualify for the semi-finals which will be followed by the final to decide the U-18 I-League 2016-17 champions. Mumbai FC will face off Kenkre Sports Club at the Cooperage Ground in the opener (November 14).
The zones and teams: Zones: Kolkata, Maharashtra, Shillong-Guwahati, Delhi, Goa, Rest of India (Group A), Rest of India (Group B) and Rest of India (Group C); Teams: East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, Mohammedan Sporting, SAI Kolkata, Southern Samity, United Sports Club; DSK Shivajians, Mumbai FC, Kenkre Sports, PIFA Sports, FC Pune City; Shillong Lajong FC, SAI Guwahati, Royal Wahingdoh FC, Rangdajied United FC, Gauhati Town Club; Bhaichung Bhutia Football School, Sudeva FC, Delhi United FC, SAI Delhi, Hindustan FC; Neroca FC, Aizawl FC, Tata Football Academy, Pride Sports; Dempo SC, Sporting Clube de Goa, Salgaocar FC, AIFF Academy; Bengaluru FC, Ozone FA, Fateh Hyderabad AFC, Kahaani FC; Real Kashmir FC, Lonestar Kashmir FC, Minerva Academy FC, J&K Bank.
