The Oriental Cup, one of Delhi-NCR’s fastest-growing inter-school football tournaments, will return for its fourth edition from July 7 to July 16, 2026, at Dr. Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi.
The announcement was made at a press conference at Aloft Hotel, Aerocity, on Wednesday.
The tournament is expected to bring together 45+ teams from leading schools across Delhi-NCR and over 1500 student-athletes. Organisers said the prize pool has more than doubled, while a new ₹2.5 lakh scholarship programme will support 10 student-athletes during the event.
| Edition | 4th |
| Dates | July 7-16, 2026 |
| Venue | Dr. Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi |
| Teams | 45+ |
| Participants | Over 1500 |
| Matches | Over 50 |
Scholarship push and stronger girls’ turnout
Oriental Cup 2026 will include over 50 matches, with 25+ teams in the Boys’ Under-17 category and 16+ teams in the Girls’ Under-19 category. The organisers said the event will give schools more chances to compete while keeping football standards high across the tournament.
Mr. Fareed Bakshi, Founder, Oriental Cup, said the event is focused on creating more chances for young footballers. He said the prize pool has more than doubled and the ₹2.5 lakh scholarship programme will aid 10 deserving student-athletes. He also noted that girls’ teams have doubled since the inaugural edition and now make up nearly 40 per cent of all teams.
Partners and growth since 2023
The fourth edition will be supported by Oriental Structural Engineers Pvt. Ltd. as title sponsor, with Nivia Sports as the Football Partner, Ocean Beverages as the Hydration Partner and Central Park Resorts as an Associate Partner. The organisers said these links reflect support for grassroots sport and youth development.
Since its launch in 2023, the Oriental Cup has grown into a key school football platform in Delhi. Across its first three editions, it has engaged 55+ educational institutions and NGOs, reached more than 2,700 young footballers and conducted 80+ competitive matches, while aiming to build a long-term place in school sport.