Alipurduar, September 12, 2026: Coal India’s CIL Cup continued to provide a platform for young footballers to compete and showcase their potential, with Birpara Anil Football Academy securing qualification for the zonal stage in both the men’s and women’s categories in Alipurduar. The men’s team defeated ANIL Football Academy 1-0, while the women’s team recorded a 1-0 victory over Tarsati Labour Club. Sabin Haada and Jhanu Roy were named Players of the Match in the respective categories as Birpara Anil Football Academy emerged from a field of 24 teams across the two categories at the Alipurduar location.
The results add to the growing momentum of the league phase, which is currently being played across West Bengal as teams compete for an opportunity to advance to the zonal stage. The CIL Cup is providing young footballers from across the state with a platform to compete, gain valuable match experience and showcase their potential, while supporting the wider objective of identifying talent at the grassroots level. With the league phase continuing, the competition will now build towards the zonal stage, where the qualified teams will battle for a place in the decisive rounds. Four teams from the men’s category and four teams from the women’s category will qualify from the zonal phase for the semi-finals. The semi-finals and final will subsequently be held in Purulia, adding another significant stage to the pathway for teams progressing through the competition.
The tournament’s talent-development objective extends beyond the playing field. At the conclusion of the CIL Cup, 50–100 players will be recommended to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) for scholarships, creating a potential opportunity for promising young footballers to continue their development. With more league-phase matches still to be played across West Bengal, teams will continue to chase qualification and the opportunity to progress through the zonal stage towards the semi-finals and final. Coal India’s support for the CIL Cup is helping create a broad grassroots platform where young footballers can compete and be identified for their potential.
About CIL Cup
The CIL Cup is a grassroots football initiative supported by Coal India, aimed at promoting football at the grassroots level and creating opportunities for talent identification and development. The league phase features 1,400 teams, more than 1,302 matches, and over 21,000 men and women players, providing a wide platform for emerging footballers to compete and showcase their potential. The Grand Finale will be held in the last week of October in Purulia, with total prizes worth INR 10 lakh. Through the CIL Cup, Coal India continues to champion grassroots football and support the identification and development of the next generation of talent.
