The Santosh Trophy has served as the highest inter-state competition in Indian Football since its inception in 1941. The tournament is named after Sir Manmatha Nath Roy Chowdhury, the Maharaja of Santosh. The competition was managed by the Indian Football Association or IFA initially, before AIFF, or All India Football Federation, started organising it. The Santosh Trophy is one of the oldest competitions and was considered the highest domestic competition before 1996. To date, a total of 79 editions of the tournament, also known as the Senior Men's National Football Championship, have been held. The current format of the Santosh Trophy began in 2022, when the group stage or the qualifiers started to be organised zonally, with the Final Round hosted in a particular state each time. Despite the attention of Indian Football switching to leagues in modern-day ISL or I-League, Santosh Trophy retains some of its shine and remains a passionate tournament because it continues to represent true regional pride and a showcase of talents.
Here are the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Santosh Trophy:
When was the Santosh Trophy first held?
The first edition of the Santosh Trophy took place in 1941 in Kolkata.
Who won the inaugural edition of the Santosh Trophy?
The inaugural edition of the Santosh Trophy was won by Bengal, defeating Delhi 5-1 in the final.
Who has won the Santosh Trophy the most times?
Bengal (West Bengal) has won the Santosh Trophy the most times, with a record 33 titles.
Who has won the Santosh Trophy the most times in this century?
West Bengal and Kerala have won the most Santosh Trophies in this century, with four titles each.
Who has won the Santosh Trophy the most times consecutively?
West Bengal has won the Santosh Trophy the most times consecutively, with five titles in a row from 1993-94 to 1998-99.
How many different teams have won the Santosh Trophy?
12 different teams have won the Santosh Trophy, including 10 states and two institutional teams.
Who has played the most finals in the Santosh Trophy?
West Bengal has played the most Santosh Trophy finals with 47.
Who has played the most finals in the Santosh Trophy consecutively?
Bengal has played the most finals in the Santosh Trophy consecutively, with 10 from 1941-42 to 1953-54.
Who has finished as runner-up the most times in the Santosh Trophy?
West Bengal has finished as runners-up the most times in the Santosh Trophy with 14.
What is the highest margin of victory recorded in a Santosh Trophy final?
The highest margin of victory recorded in a Santosh Trophy final was in the 1974-75 season when Punjab defeated Bengal 6-0 at Jalandhar.
What is the highest margin of victory recorded in Santosh Trophy history?
West Bengal recorded the highest margin of victory in the Santosh Trophy history when they defeated Tripura 18-0 in 1974.
Who is the all-time top scorer in Santosh Trophy history?
The all-time top scorer in Santosh Trophy history is Inder Singh, who scored 45 goals for Punjab.
Who scored the most goals in a single edition of the Santosh Trophy?
Inder Singh also holds the record of scoring the most goals in a single edition of the Santosh Trophy with 23 in 1974-75.
Who scored the most goals in a single game in Santosh Trophy history?
Fred Pugsley of Bengal in 1945 and Inder Singh of Punjab in 1974 scored the most goals in a single game in Santosh Trophy history, with seven against Rajputana (Rajasthan) and Gujarat, respectively
Who scored the most goals in a Santosh Trophy final?
Mohammed Habib of Bengal scored the most goals in a Santosh Trophy final with five in the 6-1 win against Services in 1969.
How many Santosh Trophy finals have been decided via a penalty shootout?
A total of 10 finals have been decided via penalty shootout in Santosh Trophy history.
Have there been any joint winners of the Santosh Trophy?
Yes, there has been a joint winner of the Santosh Trophy, but for only one instance, when West Bengal and Goa shared the trophy in 1982-83 after the final and its replay ended goalless. No such outcome is possible now after the introduction of the penalty shootout.
The 79th edition of the National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy 2025-26 will kick off on 15th December 2025, Check here Santosh Trophy 2025-26 Group Stage: Teams, Groups and Fixtures
