Introduction
Jharkhand tournament in Jharkhand has been increasingly becoming a hub for football enthusiasts and players, with various tournaments being organized to promote the sport in the region.
The Mukhyamantri Amantran Football Tournament has been organized by the Sports Directorate of Jharkhand since 2017. Every year in the month of October- November, this tournament is organized where various teams in both boys and girls categories participate and play matches from block level to state level.
Moreover, for the state championship, Jharkhand also hosts inter-school and inter-college tournaments, which are essential for nurturing young talent.
History behind the Football League in Jharkhand
The state of Jharkhand never had a top-tier football club until 2017, when Jamshedpur FC was founded by the Tata Group and took part in the fourth season of the Indian Super League (ISL). But that does not mean that they do not have a footballing heritage. The biggest boon to Indian football was the formation of the TATA Football Academy (TFA) in the year 1987.
The majority of the big Indian names in the last three decades have come up from the ranks of TFA. The likes of Renedy Singh, Mahesh Gawli, Sandip Nandy, and Deepak Mondal are all products of TFA. Arjuna Award winner Deepak Mondal hails from Jharkhand.
Now, with the advent of TATA Group’s own football club, the state is now witnessing a rise in popularity in football. In this article, we take a look at the framework of the leagues in the state of Jharkhand.
Jharkhand Football Association
The Jharkhand Football Association (JFA) is the football governing body in the state of Jharkhand in India. It is affiliated with the All India Football Federation, the national governing body. It sends state teams for the Santosh Trophy and the Senior Women’s National Football Championship. The Jharkhand Football Association is located at Near Macca Masjid New Road, Bhandaridih Giridih Jharkhand-815301.
The Jharkhand Football Association was founded in 2000 with its headquarters in Giridih. The membership of the association is 24 district associations, and it is affiliated with the All India Football Federation (AIFF). The president of KFA is Mithlesh Kumar Thakur, and the secretary is Ghulam Rabbani.
Jharkhand Women’s Football at the FIFA
U-17 Women’s World Cup
FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup in India is the first major women’s tournament by the International Football Federation in the country. The event, first scheduled in 2020, was postponed due to the pandemic outbreak and will start in Bhubaneswar on October 11, 2022.
The Indian U-17 team, as a result, has undergone major changes due to age constraints. One state that has a very dominant representation in the new team is Jharkhand.
Six girls – Astam Oraon, Nitu Linda, Purnima Kumari, Anita Kumari, Sudha Tirkey, and Anjali Munda – have been picked in Thomas Dennerby’s 21-member squad from a shortlist of 23 that
toured Spain just before the World Cup last month. “It is a historical occasion that one of our state’s girls is leading the side and five others are also part of it.
Jamshedpur (Jharkhand) Football Club
Jamshedpur Football Club is an Indian professional football club based in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, that competes in the Indian Super League (ISL), the top flight of Indian football. Founded in 2017, the club debuted in the ISL during the 2017–18 season. It is the only club in the top flight to have a self-owned stadium and training facilities. The club is owned and managed by Tata Steel.
The club was established on 12 June 2017, when Tata Steel won the bidding rights for one of the two expansion slots in the ISL. Former Kerala Blasters manager Steve Coppell was appointed as Jamshedpur’s first manager.
The club made their ISL debut during the 2017-18 season and missed a place in the semi-finals narrowly and finished at 5th position; the next season also saw them finishing at 5th. After a disappointing 2019-20 campaign, the club appointed Owen Coyle as their new manager. Under Owen Jamshedpur FC won the ISL League Winners’ Shield during the 2021–22 season, their first trophy and becoming only the third club to win the League Winners’ Shield after FC Goa and Mumbai City FC. Khalid Jamil is the club’s current manager.
Conclusion
The football tournaments in Jharkhand not only showcase the talent and passion for the sport in the region but also serve as a platform for players to grow and develop their skills. These events bring together communities, schools, and clubs, promoting a sense of unity and togetherness through the love of the game.
