National Inclusion Cup is an annual tournament organized by Sum Soccer for underprivileged and budding football players. The tournament’s first edition was held in year 2003. For the last three editions, the tournament has been sponsored by Sony Pictures Network India (SPN).
The 18th edition of the tournament is being contested in Goa on the picturesque shores of Miramar Beach, Panjim.
The tournament is contested by 26 state teams in mens category and 24 state teams in women category. The teams have been divided in four groups in both the categories.
Men’s Category Groups:
| GROUP A | GROUP B | GROUP C | GROUP D |
| Andhra Pradesh | Assam | Bihar | Vidarbha |
| Chhatisgarh | Delhi | Haryana | Tamil Nadu |
| Gujrat | Himachal Pradesh | Maharashtra | Manipur |
| J&K | Punjab | Telangana | Karnataka |
| Kerala | Sikkim | Uttarakhand | Jharkhand |
| Meghalaya | Uttarpradesh | Madhya Pradesh | Goa |
| Rajasthan | West Bengal |
Women’s Category Groups:
| GROUP A | GROUP B | GROUP C | GROUP D |
| Andhra Pradesh | Uttarakhand | Jharkhand | Bihar |
| Uttar Pradesh | Assam | Himachal | Delhi |
| West Bengal | Goa | Karnataka | Gujarat |
| Maharashtra | Kerala | Madhya Pradesh | Haryana |
| Rajasthan | Meghalaya | Punjab | Manipur |
| Telangana | Chhattisgarh | Vidarbha | Tamil Nadu |
The teams would be contesting for three trophies
- SPN National Inclusion Cup- Top two teams from each group
- SPN Diversity Cup- Third and fourth position teams from each group
- SPN Panjim City Cup- Fifth and sixth position team from each group
Day 1-
The Inauguration Ceremony of the SPN National Inclusion Cup 2020 marked the august presence of Brahmanand Sankhwalkar – Arjuna Awardee and ex-India football captain, VM Prabhudesai, Executive Director – Sports Authority of Goa, Andy Hook, Ex-Director –Homeless World Cup and David Duke, CEO Street Soccer Scotland.
The tournament was inaugurated with lot of fan fare and excitement. The inaugural match was held between team Bihar and Uttarakhand in Men’s Category. The day witnessed 50 matches in both the categories.
Day 2-
Exciting performances in day 2 witnessed 23 matches in Men’s category and 27 matches in women’s category.
All the players who participated in Homeless world cup representing India till date were gathered together showcasing the growing pool of player’s slum soccer is generation on global stage.
In the short gather of ex Homeless world Cup players Abhijeet Barse (CEO of Slum Soccer),
Andy Hook (Football Coordinator of SPN National Inclusion Cup) and David Duke (CEO of
Street Soccer Scotland) applauded their contribution in front of the entire slum soccer family.
The event was also graced by V.M Prabhu Desai executive director sports authority of Goa and was felicitated by above mentioned dignitaries for his immense support and cooperation for organizing the event at Miramar Beach Panjim. This was the first time that the National Inclusion Cup was taking place in Goa.
Day 2 was dominated by four teams Manipur, Meghalaya, Jammu and Kashmir and Meghalaya winning two matches each. Jammu and Kashmir and Andhra Pradesh are looking to qualify from group A with Sikkim and West Bengal from group B, Haryana tops the group with second position closely contested by Uttarakhand and Maharashtra and in group D Karnataka and Vidarbha are looking to qualify for the quarter finals.
Day three would be crucial for all teams as they would be consolidating their positions for the quarter final squad.
In the women’s category Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal and looking clear winners in group A with Goa and Uttarakhand from group B. Group C is dominated by Jharkhand followed by Vidarbha. There is a close fight between Manipur and Haryana for top spot in group D closely contested by Delhi.
In day three would bring lots of excitement in women’s category as all the teams would be gunning for the quarter final spot.
In women’s category, below are the quarter final teams for SPN National Inclusion Cup Andhra Pradesh vs Manipur, Goa vs Vidarbha, West Bengal vs Haryana and Uttarakhand vs Jharkhand.
Diversity Cup quarter final matches are as below:
Maharashtra vs Bihar, Assam vs Punjab, Telangana vs Delhi and Chattisgharh vs Madhya Pradesh.
Panjim City cup quarter final matches are as below:
Rajasthan vs Gujarat, Kerala vs Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh vs Tamil Nadu and Meghalaya vs. Himachal Pradesh.
