2020 IFA Shield
thebeautifulgame
Durgapur,India30518 Points
The historic IFA
SHIELD, one of the oldest tournaments in India, returns in its former avatar, featuring senior teams, in
its 123rd edition. After the widely
popular 2014 edition, the Shield was turned into an U-19 tournament due to
AIFF giving an exclusive window in the Indian football calendar to the Indian
Super League, cutting the season short for independent clubs. However, this year the IFA has decided to restore it to its former glory.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament would take place behind closed doors between 6th and 19th December 2020. This is the first time in almost a century that neither of the Big Two from Kolkata-- East Bengal (29 times champions) nor Mohun Bagan (21 times champions) will be present in this 127 year old competition. To make up for their absence, the IFA have roped in four clubs from the I-League, including Gokulam Kerala FC (Durand Cup 2019 champions), Indian Arrows (AIFF developmental team), Real Kashmir FC and Mohammedan Sporting (6 time champions, newly promoted to I-League after winning I-League Qualifiers, last club to win the Shield with a senior team). Eight teams from the Calcutta Football League will also participate in the IFA Shield 2020.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament would take place behind closed doors between 6th and 19th December 2020. This is the first time in almost a century that neither of the Big Two from Kolkata-- East Bengal (29 times champions) nor Mohun Bagan (21 times champions) will be present in this 127 year old competition. To make up for their absence, the IFA have roped in four clubs from the I-League, including Gokulam Kerala FC (Durand Cup 2019 champions), Indian Arrows (AIFF developmental team), Real Kashmir FC and Mohammedan Sporting (6 time champions, newly promoted to I-League after winning I-League Qualifiers, last club to win the Shield with a senior team). Eight teams from the Calcutta Football League will also participate in the IFA Shield 2020.
The IFA has laid out the grouping for the competition:
Group
A - Mohammedan SC, Kidderpore SC, Kalighat MS
Group B - Real Kashmir FC, Peerless SC, Aryan Club
Group C - Indian Arrows, Southern Samity, George Telegraph SC
Group D - Gokulam Kerala FC, United SC, BSS Sporting Club
The tournament will have a league-cum-knockout format, with a total of four groups. Each group will comprise of three teams with the top two from each group making it to the quarter-finals. Every team will play its opponent once in the group stage. So, all teams will get to play two games each in the group stage.
IFA Shield 2020 broadcast and LIVE stream
All matches will be broadcasted live on Kolkata TV.
Credits: The Fan Garage, Goal.com
Comments
@munna219777, @mohammed_87hassan: Can any one of you do the necessary correction?
Could you make the correction in this sentence "...Sudeva Delhi FC (New I-League entrants)"
Mohammedan Sporting 4 - 0 Kiddirpore SC [ Sadhu, Hiramondal, Adjah, Ghani]
Southern Samity 1 (Sujit Soren 27th) - 1 Indian Arrows (Gurkirat Singh 79th)
GSs for GT are Stanley Eze and Goutam Das
Real Kashmir 2-0 Aryan (85 min.)
Kalighat MS 3-1 Kidderpore SC (2nd half)