Meghalaya to open Santosh Trophy final round against Odisha in high-stakes Group B

Meghalaya will begin their final round campaign in the 79th Senior Men’s National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy 2025–26 against Odisha on January 22, looking to set the tone early in what is being seen as one of the toughest groups of the tournament.

The Group B match will kick off at 2 pm at the Silapathar Football Stadium in Assam and will be livestreamed on FIFA+.

Group B has been widely labelled a group of death, featuring four former champions and one past runner-up. Punjab, Kerala, Services and Railways together account for 25 Santosh Trophy titles and 28 runner-up finishes. Meghalaya have reached the final once, while Odisha remain the only team in the group yet to make an appearance in the title clash.

For Meghalaya, the tournament carries memories of their strongest showing in 2022–23, when they finished runners-up after a narrow defeat to Karnataka in the final. The man in charge then, Khlain Pyrkhat Syiemlieh, is back at the helm this season, tasked with guiding a reworked squad through a demanding phase.

The road to the final round was not straightforward. Meghalaya lost 2–1 to Sikkim in the preliminary stage before edging Arunachal Pradesh by the same scoreline. Qualification was secured on goals scored, underlining the fine margins involved. Preparation time ahead of the preliminaries was limited, but the team has since benefited from several weeks of focused training.

That extended preparation has also helped address selection issues caused by player unavailability due to club commitments and other factors. With the support of the Meghalaya Football Association, the coaching staff have assembled what they believe is a balanced and competitive squad, though the challenge posed by the opposition in Group B is significant.

With four teams from each group advancing to the quarter-finals, the immediate priority will be navigating the round-robin stage, where consistency and tactical discipline will be key. Meghalaya will aim to start strongly against Odisha, aware that early points could prove decisive in such a tightly contested group.

Meghalaya squad: Rajat Paul Lyngdoh, Banshanskhem Kharsyntiew, Nister Roy Suting, Wanboklang Lyngkhoi, Apborlang Kurbah, Wilbert D Marbaniang, Iohborlang L Lyngkhoi, Mebanaibok Kharbudnah, Richie Kharbani, Mebankhraw K Wahlang, Rimankhraw Kharumnuid, Riborlang L Lyngkhoi, Babysunday Marngar, Dibormi Kassar, Mebanshngain Kurkalang, Fairming Suting, Robertson M Khongriah, Hardy Cliff Nongbri, Kynsaibor Lhuid, Marbiangki Suchiang, Deibormame Tongper, Dawanchwa C Challam