PEKB Football Trophy Kicks Off – Inspiring Rural Youth Through Sports
₹61,000 cash prize for the winner, ₹41,000 for the runner-up | 360 players from 24 villages across 9 districts and 3 states participate | Foreign players to join during semifinals and finals
Parsa/Udaipur/Ambikapur : The much-awaited district-level football tournament, PEKB Football Trophy, commenced at Parsa village amid great enthusiasm. The tournament, now in its ninth consecutive year since its inception in 2015, aims to promote rural sports and nurture young football talent.
A total of 360 players from 24 villages across nine districts representing Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Jharkhand are participating this year. Notably, a few foreign players are also expected to join during the semifinal and final matches, adding an international flavour to the event.
The tournament is being organized jointly by the Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (RRVUNL), Adani Foundation, Gram Panchayat Parsa, and the Adarsh Tiger Youth Club. The initiative seeks to channel the sporting energy of rural youth, foster discipline, and offer a platform for emerging local talent.
Prominent participating teams include Parsa A & B, Ghatbarra, Salhi, Vrindavan, Jagarnathpur Club, Dada Bhai (Baikunthpur), Star Club (Lakhanpur), Charcha Colony (Baikunthpur), Chandan Nagar, Rebel Panther (Lundra), Ginna Bahar (Jashpur), Veerpur, United Eleven (Ambikapur), Dugga Shivnagar, M.S. Vaidhyan, C.V. Raman (Bilaspur), ATK (Raipur), Shakti Academy (Korba), Hirwa Club (Singrauli), Rama (Raipur), D.C. (Kotma), and Guturma.
The officiating referees for the event include Rupesh Kumar Singh, Shyam Narayan Paikara, Ravindra Rajwade, and Lav Kumar.
Special awards such as Man of the Match, Best Scorer, Best Goalkeeper, and Player of the Tournament will be presented to recognize outstanding performances.
The inauguration began with a traditional Shaila dance to welcome guests. Following a formal prayer ceremony, the first match was played between Ghatbarra and Guturma, where Guturma emerged victorious 1–0 via penalty shootout, with Amol Toppo named Man of the Match.
In the second match, Salhi defeated Chandan Nagar 4–3 in a thrilling encounter.
The tournament highlights the importance of sportsmanship, teamwork, fitness, and discipline among rural youth while strengthening football’s presence in the region.
Dignitaries present included Siddharth Baba (Vice President, Janpad Udaipur Block), Om Prakash Paikara (Janpad President), Raimunia Kariyam (District Panchayat Member), Munna Singh Paikara, Shravan Varkade, Tulsi Uike (Sarpanch, Parsa), Vijay Kariyam (Sarpanch, Salhi), Mr. Pal (Sarpanch, Basen), and Mukesh Kumar (Cluster Head, Adani Enterprises) among others.
The final match and closing ceremony will be held on October 17, 2025.
