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Hyderabad: The 78th Senior National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy will commence its final round on December 14, 2024, in Hyderabad, Telangana.
Twelve teams are set to compete: nine group stage winners, the two finalists from the previous season (Services and Goa), and the host team, Telangana. They are split into two groups of six.
The top four teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals scheduled for December 26 and 27. The Deccan Arena will host all matches leading up to the quarterfinals.
The semifinals are slated for December 29, and the final match will take place on December 31 at the G. M. C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium, also known as the Gachibowli Stadium.
West Bengal, holding a record of 32 championships, is vying for its first title since the 2016-17 season. Services, the current champion, boasts seven titles, six of which were won in the last 11 seasons.
Punjab, an eight-time champion, failed to make it to the final round for the second consecutive season, having been defeated in the group stage by Jammu & Kashmir, which has reached the final round for the first time since the 2015-16 season.
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