Oriental Cup 2026 Returns To New Delhi For Fourth Edition As School Football Tournament Sees Rapid Rise

The Oriental Cup will return for its fourth edition later this year in New Delhi, continuing its role as one of Delhi-NCR’s fastest-growing school football tournaments. Founded in 2023 by student-athlete Fareed Bakshi, the event aims to give young footballers a structured and competitive platform.

In its first three editions, the tournament has drawn hundreds of student-athletes from leading schools across the region. It has built a place in Delhi’s school sports calendar by focusing on sporting excellence, teamwork, community engagement, and grassroots player development through football.

Recent edition saw 36 teams

The most recent edition was held in July 2025 at Dr. Ambedkar Stadium and featured 36 school teams across the boys’ and girls’ categories. Delhi Public School, RK Puram won the boys’ title, while Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Faridabad won the girls’ title.

Earlier winners have included Air Force School, Subroto Park, Apex School, and two-time girls’ champions Sanskriti School. Their success reflects the growing competition and depth of school football in the region, as more leading institutions continue to take part each year.

Girls’ participation remains a key focus

One of the main goals of the Oriental Cup is to encourage more girls to play football. The previous edition saw more than 200 girls take part, showing the rising interest in the sport among both boys and girls in the region.

Fareed Bakshi said the tournament has grown from an idea into a platform that brings together young athletes, schools, coaches, and supporters. He said the vision remains the same: to provide student-athletes with meaningful competition while building a stronger football culture at school level. Further details on the upcoming edition will follow in the coming weeks.