View source for Santosh Trophy

{{about|the men's competition|the women's competition|Rajmata Jijabai Trophy}}{{Short description|Association football tournament in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2016}}
{{infobox football tournament
| name                 = Santosh Trophy
| image                = National Football Championship.svg
| organiser            = [[All India Football Federation|AIFF]] 
| founded              = {{Start date and age|1941}}
| region               = India
| number of teams      = {{ubl|Group stage: 36|Final round: 12}}
| related comps        = [[Football at the National Games of India|National Games]]
| confed cup           = [[Asian Champion Club Tournament]] (1967–71)
| current champions    = {{nowrap|[[West Bengal football team|West Bengal]] (33rd title)}}
| most successful team = {{nowrap|[[West Bengal football team|West Bengal]] (33 titles)}}
| broadcasters         = {{URL|https://ssen.co/|SSEN}} ([[online streaming]]) <br/> SportsKPI <br/> SportsCast India <br/> [[Prasar Bharati]] Sports <br/> ([[YouTube]])
| website              = {{URL|https://www.the-aiff.com/competitions/senior-nfc|Senior NFC}}
| current              = [[2024–25 Santosh Trophy]] 
}}

The '''National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy''',<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hero Senior NFC|url=https://www.the-aiff.com/competitions/senior-nfc|access-date=2021-12-05|website=the-aiff.com|archive-date=5 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211205090635/https://www.the-aiff.com/competitions/senior-nfc|url-status=live}}</ref> or simply '''Santosh Trophy''', is an inter-state national [[association football|football]] competition contested by the [[List of Indian state football associations|state associations]] and government institutions under the [[All India Football Federation]] (AIFF), the sport's governing body in [[India]].<ref>{{Cite web|first=Novy|last=Kapadia|url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/memorable-moments-in-the-santosh-trophy-2|website=sportskeeda.com|publisher=[[Sportskeeda]]|date=27 May 2012|access-date=7 March 2021|title=Memorable moments in the Santosh Trophy|archive-date=12 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412140304/https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/memorable-moments-in-the-santosh-trophy-2}}</ref> Before the launch of the first national club league, the [[National Football League (India)|National Football League]] in 1996, the Santosh Trophy was considered the top domestic tournament in India.<ref name="History">{{cite news|last1=Anand|first1=Vijay|title=The history of Santosh Trophy|url=http://www.sportskeeda.com/football/the-history-of-santosh-trophy|access-date=18 December 2016|work=SportsKeeda|date=16 March 2014|archive-date=21 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221072134/http://www.sportskeeda.com/football/the-history-of-santosh-trophy|url-status=live}}</ref> Many players who have represented [[India national football team|India]] internationally, played in the Santosh Trophy.<ref name="Rise and Fall">{{cite news|title=The rise and fall of the Santosh Trophy|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-santosh-trophy/|access-date=18 December 2016|work=The Indian Express|date=12 March 2014|archive-date=20 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220224751/http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-santosh-trophy/|url-status=live}}</ref> The tournament is held every year with eligible teams divided into zones, play in the qualifying round and can progress into the tournament proper.<ref>{{cite news|title=70th Santosh Trophy|url=http://thif-live.com/santosh-trophy-2015-16/|access-date=18 December 2016|work=The Indian Football Live|archive-date=20 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220154129/http://thif-live.com/santosh-trophy-2015-16/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The tournament was started in [[1941–42 Santosh Trophy|1941]] by the [[Indian Football Association]] (IFA), which was the then ''[[de facto]]'' governing body of [[football in India]]. It was named after the former president of the IFA, Sir [[Manmatha Nath Roy Chowdhury]], the [[Maharaja]] of [[Santosh, Bangladesh|Santosh]] who had died aged 61 in 1939.<ref name="History"/><ref>{{cite book |last=Majumdar, Boria |first=Bandyopadhyay, Kausik |date=1 February 2006 |title=Goalless: The Story of a Unique Footballing Nation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i55oAAAACAAJ |location=[[New Delhi]] |publisher=[[Penguin Books|Penguin India]] |isbn=9780670058747 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408140616/https://books.google.co.in/books/about/Goalless_the_Story_of_a_Unique_Footballi.html?id=i55oAAAACAAJ&redir_esc=y |archive-date=8 April 2022}}</ref><ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nrE-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=QkwMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6023%2C180366 Maharaja of Santosh dead] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221224173614/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nrE-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=QkwMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6023,180366 |date=24 December 2022 }}, Indian Express, 1 April 1939, p. 15</ref>
The IFA later donated the Santosh Trophy to the AIFF, soon after its formation as the sport's official governing body in India, and since then AIFF has been organising the tournament. The trophy for the runner-up, Kamala Gupta Trophy, was also donated by the then president of IFA, Dr. S.K. Gupta, and it was named in honour of his wife.<ref name="IF.de">{{cite web|title=List of Winners/Runners-Up of the Santosh Trophy|url=http://www.indianfootball.de/data/santosh.html|website=IndianFootball.de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190313090934/http://www.indianfootball.de/data/santosh.html|archive-date=13 March 2019}}</ref> The third-place trophy, Sampangi Cup, was donated by the [[Karnataka State Football Association]] (then Mysore Football Association) and was named so in the memory of a renowned footballer, Sampangi, who was from [[Mysore district|Mysore]].<ref name="IF.de"/> Until 2018, the tournament was organised as an individual competition, but since 2021, the AIFF rebranded it as the men's senior tier of National Football Championship for the regional teams of various age groups. In September 2022, it was announced that the tournament will be organized on zonal basis.<ref>{{cite web |date=27 September 2022 |title=Six foreigners recommended for matchday squads as I-League returns on 29 Oct |url=https://www.news9live.com/sports/football/six-foreign-players-recommended-for-matchday-squads-as-i-league-returns-on-oct-29-198670 |access-date=27 September 2022 |website=news9live.com |first=Sayan |last=Mukherjee|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221008175503/https://www.news9live.com/sports/football/six-foreign-players-recommended-for-matchday-squads-as-i-league-returns-on-oct-29-198670 |archive-date=8 October 2022 }}</ref>

==Background==
[[File:SantoshTrophy Logo.jpg|thumb|Santosh Trophy logo used until 2021]]
The Santosh Trophy was started after the former presidents of the Indian Football Association, Manmatha Nath Roy Chowdhary of Santosh, and Satish Chandra Chowdhury, donated the trophy to the All India Football Federation.<ref name="History"/><ref>{{Cite web|first=Somnath|last=Sengupta|url=http://www.thehardtackle.com/2012/legends-of-indian-football-the-pioneers/|title=Legends of Indian Football : The Pioneers|website=thehardtackle.com|publisher=The Hard Tackle|date=24 April 2012|access-date=20 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026053626/http://www.thehardtackle.com/2012/legends-of-indian-football-the-pioneers/|archive-date=26 October 2017}}</ref> At the time of the first tournament, India lacked a proper championship for football teams. The other major nationwide football competitions at the time were the [[Durand Cup]], [[Rovers Cup]] and [[IFA Shield]].<ref name="History"/> In 1990, in an attempt to bring through more younger players, the AIFF made the Santosh Trophy into an under-23 competition. This move only lasted for three seasons before the tournament was reverted to a senior competition.<ref name="History"/>

During his time as the head coach of [[India national football team|India]], [[Bob Houghton]] called for the tournament to be discontinued and said that it was a waste of time and talent.<ref name="History"/> He was more aggressive against the tournament after striker [[Sunil Chhetri]] injured himself in the 2009 Santosh Trophy and had to miss the [[Nehru Cup]].<ref name="Rise and Fall"/> As a result, national team players were not allowed to participate in the tournament, which was also eventually reverted.<ref name="History"/> In 2013 the AIFF decided that players from the top-tier clubs would be barred from participating in the Santosh Trophy, but numerous members of reserve, academy and youth sides of the [[I-League]] and the [[Indian Super League]] participate in the tournament for game-time.<ref>{{cite news|title=AIFF mulling over Santosh Trophy's future|url=http://www.news18.com/footballnext/news/aiff-mulling-over-santosh-trophys-future-639494.html|access-date=18 December 2016|work=News 18|date=17 September 2013|archive-date=20 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220182421/http://www.news18.com/footballnext/news/aiff-mulling-over-santosh-trophys-future-639494.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The tournament is still regarded as a suitable platform for young players from the [[I-League 2]], [[I-League 3]], or [[Indian State Leagues|State leagues]] to attract major clubs.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Raghunandan |first1=Vaibhav |title=Santosh Trophy: Where Indian Football's History and Its Future Reside |url=https://www.newsclick.in/santosh-trophy-where-indian-footballs-history-and-its-future-reside |website=NewsClick |date=24 April 2019 |access-date=31 March 2022 |archive-date=15 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210615155915/https://www.newsclick.in/santosh-trophy-where-indian-footballs-history-and-its-future-reside |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.the-aiff.com/article/balai-dey-the-man-who-connects-india-pakistan-and-the-hero-santosh-trophy|title=Balai Dey: The man who connects India, Pakistan and the Hero Santosh Trophy|date=24 February 2023|access-date=24 February 2023|location=New Delhi|first=Sruti|last=Chakraborty|website=the-aiff.com|publisher=All India Football Federation|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230224114350/https://www.the-aiff.com/article/balai-dey-the-man-who-connects-india-pakistan-and-the-hero-santosh-trophy|archive-date=24 February 2023}}</ref>

==Current teams==
The following teams participate in the tournament as states, union territories and institutions.
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* [[Andaman and Nicobar football team|Andaman and Nicobar Islands]]
* [[Andhra Pradesh football team|Andhra Pradesh]]
* [[Arunachal Pradesh football team|Arunachal Pradesh]]
* [[Assam football team|Assam]]
* [[Bihar football team|Bihar]]
* [[Chandigarh football team|Chandigarh]]
* [[Chhattisgarh football team|Chhattisgarh]]
* [[Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu football team|Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu]]
* [[Delhi football team|Delhi]]
* [[Goa football team|Goa]]
* [[Gujarat football team|Gujarat]]
* [[Haryana football team|Haryana]]
* [[Himachal Pradesh football team|Himachal Pradesh]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir football team|Jammu and Kashmir]]
* [[Jharkhand football team|Jharkhand]]
* [[Karnataka football team|Karnataka]]
* [[Kerala football team|Kerala]]
* [[Ladakh football team|Ladakh]]
* [[Lakshadweep football team|Lakshadweep]]
* [[Madhya Pradesh football team|Madhya Pradesh]]
* [[Maharashtra football team|Maharashtra]]
* [[Manipur football team|Manipur]]
* [[Meghalaya football team|Meghalaya]]
* [[Mizoram football team|Mizoram]]
* [[Nagaland football team|Nagaland]]
* [[Odisha football team|Odisha]]
* [[Pondicherry football team|Pondicherry]]
* [[Punjab football team|Punjab]]
* [[Rajasthan football team|Rajasthan]]
* [[Railways football team|Railways]]
* [[Services football team|Services]]
* [[Sikkim football team|Sikkim]]
* [[Tamil Nadu football team|Tamil Nadu]]
* [[Telangana football team|Telangana]]
* [[Tripura football team|Tripura]]
* [[Uttar Pradesh football team|Uttar Pradesh]]
* [[Uttarakhand football team|Uttarakhand]]
* [[West Bengal football team|West Bengal]]
{{div col end}}

===Defunct teams===
* [[Dacca football team|Dacca]] (1944/45–1945/46)
* [[Hyderabad football team|Hyderabad]] (1944/45–1958/59)
* Daman and Diu (until 2022/23)
* Dadra and Nagar Haveli (until 2022/23)

==Results==
===Finals===
The following is the list of winners and runners-up from every edition of the Santosh Trophy<ref>{{cite web|title=Santosh Trophy Winners|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/indiasantoshhist.html|publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation|access-date=28 November 2013|archive-date=18 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210918131806/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/indiasantoshhist.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Season
! Host city
!style="background:gold"|Winner 
! Score 
!style="background:silver"|{{nobr|Runner-up}}
|-
| [[1941–42 Santosh Trophy|1941–42]] ||align=left|[[Kolkata]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 5–1 || [[Delhi football team|Delhi]]
|-
| [[1944–45 Santosh Trophy|1944–45]] ||align=left|[[Delhi]] || '''[[Delhi football team|Delhi]]''' || 2–0 || [[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]
|-
| [[1945–46 Santosh Trophy|1945–46]] ||align=left|[[Mumbai|Bombay]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 2–0 || [[Bombay football team|Bombay]]
|-
| 1946–47 ||align=left|[[Bangalore]] || '''[[Mysore football team|Mysore]]''' || 0–0, 2–1 || [[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]
|-
| 1947–48 ||align=left|[[Kolkata]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 0–0, 1–0 || [[Bombay football team|Bombay]]
|-
| 1949–50 ||align=left|[[Kolkata]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 5–0 || [[Hyderabad football team|Hyderabad]]
|-
| [[1950–51 Santosh Trophy|1950–51]] ||align=left|[[Kolkata]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 1–0 || [[Hyderabad football team|Hyderabad]]
|-
| 1951–52 ||align=left|[[Mumbai|Bombay]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 1–0 || [[Bombay football team|Bombay]]
|-
| 1952–53 ||align=left|[[Bangalore]] || '''[[Mysore football team|Mysore]]''' || 1–0 || [[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]
|-
| [[1953–54 Santosh Trophy|1953–54]] ||align=left|[[Kolkata]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 0–0, 3–1 || [[Mysore football team|Mysore]]
|-
| 1954–55 ||align=left|[[Chennai|Madras]] || '''[[Bombay football team|Bombay]]''' || 2–1 || [[Services football team|Services]]
|-
| 1955–56 ||align=left|[[Ernakulam]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 1–0 || [[Mysore football team|Mysore]]
|-
| [[1956–57 Santosh Trophy|1956–57]] ||align=left|[[Trivandrum]] || '''[[Hyderabad football team|Hyderabad]]''' || 1–1, 4–1 || [[Bombay football team|Bombay]]
|-
| 1957–58 ||align=left|[[Hyderabad]] || '''[[Hyderabad football team|Hyderabad]]''' || 3–1 || [[Maharashtra football team|Bombay]]
|-
| [[1958–59 Santosh Trophy|1958–59]] ||align=left|[[Chennai|Madras]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 1–0 || [[Services football team|Services]]
|-
| [[1959–60 Santosh Trophy|1959–60]] ||align=left|[[Nagaon|Nowgong]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 3–1 || [[Bombay football team|Bombay]]
|-
| 1960–61 ||align=left|[[Kozhikode]] || '''[[Services football team|Services]]''' || 0–0, 1–0 || [[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]
|-
| [[1961–62 Santosh Trophy|1961–62]] ||align=left|[[Mumbai|Bombay]] || '''[[Railways football team|Railways]]''' || 3–0 || [[Bombay football team|Bombay]]
|-
| 1962–63 ||align=left|[[Bangalore]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 2–0 || [[Mysore football team|Mysore]]
|-
| 1963–64 ||align=left|[[Chennai|Madras]] || '''[[Maharashtra football team|Maharashtra]]''' || 1–0 || [[Andhra Pradesh football team|Andhra Pradesh]]
|-
| 1964–65 ||align=left|[[Guwahati]] || '''[[Railways football team|Railways]]''' || 2–1 || [[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]
|-
| 1965–66 ||align=left|[[Kollam]] || '''[[Andhra Pradesh football team|Andhra Pradesh]]''' || 1–1, 1–0 || [[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]
|-
| 1966–67 ||align=left|[[Hyderabad]] || '''[[Railways football team|Railways]]''' || 0–0, 2–0 || [[Services football team|Services]]
|-
| 1967–68 ||align=left|[[Cuttack]] || '''[[Mysore football team|Mysore]]''' || 1–0 || [[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]
|-
| [[1968–69 Santosh Trophy|1968–69]] ||align=left|[[Bangalore]] || '''[[Mysore football team|Mysore]]''' || 0–0, 1–0 || [[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]
|-
| [[1969–70 Santosh Trophy|1969–70]] ||align=left|[[Nagaon|Nowgong]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 6–1 || [[Services football team|Services]]
|-
| 1970–71 ||align=left|[[Jalandhar]] || '''[[Punjab football team|Punjab]]''' || 1–1, 3–1 || [[Mysore football team|Mysore]]
|-
| 1971–72 ||align=left|[[Chennai|Madras]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 4–1 || [[Railways football team|Railways]]
|-
| 1972–73 ||align=left|[[Goa]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 4–1 || [[Tamil Nadu football team|Tamil Nadu]]
|-
| [[1973–74 Santosh Trophy|1973–74]] ||align=left|[[Ernakulam]] || '''[[Kerala football team|Kerala]]''' || 3–2 || [[Railways football team|Railways]]
|-
| [[1974–75 Santosh Trophy|1974–75]] ||align=left|[[Jalandhar]] || '''[[Punjab football team|Punjab]]''' || 6–0 || [[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]
|-
| 1975–76 ||align=left|[[Kozhikode]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 0–0, 3–1 || [[Karnataka football team|Karnataka]]
|-
| 1976–77 ||align=left|[[Patna]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 1–0 || [[Maharashtra football team|Maharashtra]]
|-
| 1977–78 ||align=left|[[Kolkata]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 1–1, 3–1 || [[Punjab football team|Punjab]]
|-
| 1978–79 ||align=left|[[Srinagar]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 1–0 || [[Goa football team|Goa]]
|-
| 1979–80 ||align=left|[[Coimbatore]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 1–0 || [[Punjab football team|Punjab]]
|-
| 1980–81 ||align=left|[[Cuttack]] || '''[[Punjab football team|Punjab]]''' || 0–0, 2–0 || [[Railways football team|Railways]]
|-
| [[1981–82 Santosh Trophy|1981–82]] ||align=left|[[Thrissur]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 2–0 || [[Railways football team|Railways]]
|-
| 1982–83 ||align=left|[[Kolkata]] ||colspan="3"|'''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' and '''[[Goa football team|Goa]]''' (joint winners) – 0–0, 0–0
|-
| [[1983–84 Santosh Trophy|1983–84]] ||align=left|[[Chennai|Madras]] || '''[[Goa football team|Goa]]''' || 1–0 || [[Punjab football team|Punjab]]
|-
| [[1984–85 Santosh Trophy|1984–85]] ||align=left|[[Kanpur]] || '''[[Punjab football team|Punjab]]''' || 3–0 || [[Maharashtra football team|Maharashtra]]
|-
| [[1985–86 Santosh Trophy|1985–86]] ||align=left|[[Jabalpur]] || '''[[Punjab football team|Punjab]]''' || 0–0 {{pso|4–1}} || [[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]
|-
| [[1986–87 Santosh Trophy|1986–87]] ||align=left|[[Calcutta]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 2–0 || [[Railways football team|Railways]]
|-
| [[1987–88 Santosh Trophy|1987–88]] ||align=left|[[Kollam]] || '''[[Punjab football team|Punjab]]''' || 0–0 {{pso|5–4}} || [[Kerala football team|Kerala]]
|-
| [[1988–89 Santosh Trophy|1988–89]] ||align=left|[[Guwahati]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 1–1 {{pso|4–3}} || [[Kerala football team|Kerala]]
|-
| [[1989–90 Santosh Trophy|1989–90]] ||align=left|[[Margao]] || '''[[Goa football team|Goa]]''' || 2–0 || [[Kerala football team|Kerala]]
|-
| [[1989–90 Santosh Trophy|1990–91]] ||align=left|[[Palakkad]] || '''[[Maharashtra football team|Maharashtra]]''' || 1–0 || [[Kerala football team|Kerala]]
|-
| [[1991–92 Santosh Trophy|1991–92]] ||align=left|[[Coimbatore]] || '''[[Kerala football team|Kerala]]''' || 3–0 || [[Goa football team|Goa]]
|-
| [[1992–93 Santosh Trophy|1992–93]] ||align=left|[[Kochi]] || '''[[Kerala football team|Kerala]]''' || 2–0 || [[Maharashtra football team|Maharashtra]]
|-
| [[1993–94 Santosh Trophy|1993–94]] ||align=left|[[Cuttack]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 2–2 {{pso|5–3}} || [[Kerala football team|Kerala]]
|-
| 1994–95 ||align=left|[[Chennai]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 2–1 ([[Sudden death (sport)#Association football|a.s.d.e.t.]]) || [[Punjab football team|Punjab]]
|-
| 1995–96 ||align=left|[[Margao]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 1–0 || [[Goa football team|Goa]]
|-
| [[1996–97 Santosh Trophy|1996–97]] ||align=left|[[Jabalpur]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 1–0 ([[Sudden death (sport)#Association football|a.s.d.e.t.]]) || [[Goa football team|Goa]]
|-
| [[1997–98 Santosh Trophy|1997–98]] ||align=left|[[Guwahati]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 1–0 || [[Goa football team|Goa]]
|-
| [[1998–99 Santosh Trophy|1998–99]] ||align=left|[[Chennai]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]''' || 5–0 || [[Goa football team|Goa]]
|-
| [[1999–2000 Santosh Trophy|1999–00]] ||align=left|[[Thrissur]] || '''[[Maharashtra football team|Maharashtra]]''' || 3–2 || [[Kerala football team|Kerala]]
|-
| [[2001–02 Santosh Trophy|2001–02]] ||align=left|[[Mumbai]] || '''[[Kerala football team|Kerala]]''' || 3–2 ([[Sudden death (sport)#Association football|a.s.d.e.t.]]) || [[Goa football team|Goa]]
|-
| [[2002–03 Santosh Trophy|2002–03]] ||align=left|[[Imphal]] || '''[[Manipur football team|Manipur]]''' || 2–1 ([[Sudden death (sport)#Association football|a.s.d.e.t.]]) || [[Kerala football team|Kerala]]
|-
| [[2004–05 Santosh Trophy|2004–05]] ||align=left|[[Delhi]] || '''[[Kerala football team|Kerala]]''' || 3–2 || [[Punjab football team|Punjab]]
|-
| [[2005–06 Santosh Trophy|2005–06]] ||align=left|[[Kochi]] || '''[[Goa football team|Goa]]''' || 3–1 {{aet}} || [[Maharashtra football team|Maharashtra]]
|-
| [[2006–07 Santosh Trophy|2006–07]] ||align=left|[[Gurgaon]] || '''[[Punjab football team|Punjab]]''' || 0–0 {{aet}} {{pso|5–3}} || [[West Bengal football team|West Bengal]]
|-
| [[2007–08 Santosh Trophy|2007–08]] ||align=left|[[Srinagar]] || '''[[Punjab football team|Punjab]]''' || 1–0 || [[Services football team|Services]]
|-
| [[2008–09 Santosh Trophy|2008–09]] ||align=left|[[Chennai]] || '''[[Goa football team|Goa]]''' || 0–0 {{aet}} {{pso|4–2}} || [[West Bengal football team|West Bengal]]
|-
| [[2009–10 Santosh Trophy|2009–10]] ||align=left|[[Kolkata]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|West Bengal]]''' || 2–1 || [[Punjab football team|Punjab]]
|-
| [[2010–11 Santosh Trophy|2010–11]] ||align=left|[[Guwahati]]|| '''[[West Bengal football team|West Bengal]]''' || 2–1 || [[Manipur football team|Manipur]]
|-
| [[2011–12 Santosh Trophy|2011–12]] ||align=left|[[Odisha]] || '''[[Services football team|Services]]''' || 3–2 || [[Tamil Nadu football team|Tamil Nadu]]
|-
| [[2012–13 Santosh Trophy|2012–13]] ||align=left|[[Kochi]] || '''[[Services football team|Services]]''' || 0–0 {{aet}} {{pso|4–3}} || [[Kerala football team|Kerala]]
|-
| [[2013–14 Santosh Trophy|2013–14]] ||align=left|[[Siliguri]] || '''[[Mizoram football team|Mizoram]]''' || 3–0 || [[Railways football team|Railways]]
|-
| [[2014–15 Santosh Trophy|2014–15]] ||align=left|[[Ludhiana]] || '''[[Services football team|Services]]''' || 0–0 {{pso|5–4}} || [[Punjab football team|Punjab]]
|-
| [[2015–16 Santosh Trophy|2015–16]] ||align=left|[[Nagpur]] || '''[[Services football team|Services]]''' || 2–1 || [[Maharashtra football team|Maharashtra]]
|-
| [[2016–17 Santosh Trophy|2016–17]] ||align=left|[[Goa]] || '''[[West Bengal football team|West Bengal]]''' || 1–0 || [[Goa football team|Goa]]
|-
| [[2017–18 Santosh Trophy|2017–18]] ||align=left|[[Kolkata]] || '''[[Kerala football team|Kerala]]''' || 2–2 {{pso|4–2}} || [[West Bengal football team|West Bengal]]
|-
| [[2018–19 Santosh Trophy|2018–19]] ||align=left|[[Ludhiana]] || '''[[Services football team|Services]]''' || 1–0 || [[Punjab football team|Punjab]]
|-
| [[2021–22 Santosh Trophy|2021–22]] ||align=left|[[Manjeri]] || '''[[Kerala football team|Kerala]]''' || 1–1 {{pso|5–4}} || [[West Bengal football team|West Bengal]]
|-
| [[2022–23 Santosh Trophy|2022–23]] ||align=left|{{flagicon|KSA}} [[Riyadh]] || [[Karnataka football team|'''Karnataka''']]|| 3–2|| [[Meghalaya football team|Meghalaya]]
|-
|[[2023–24 Santosh Trophy|2023–24]] ||align=left| [[Yupia]]
|'''[[Services football team|Services]]'''
|1–0
|[[Goa football team|Goa]]
|-
|[[2024–25 Santosh Trophy|2024–25]]
|[[Hyderabad]]
|'''[[West Bengal football team|West Bengal]]'''
|1–0
|[[Kerala football team|Kerala]]
|}

===Final appearances===
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Team !! Wins !! {{nts|Runners-up}} !! {{nowrap|Last win}}
|-
| [[West Bengal football team|West Bengal / Bengal]] || 33 || 14 || {{nowrap|2024–25}}
|-
| [[Punjab football team|Punjab]] || 8 || 8 || 2007–08
|-
| [[Kerala football team|Kerala]] || 7 || 9 || 2021–22
|-
| [[Services football team|Services]] || 7 || 5 || 2023–24
|-
| [[Goa football team|Goa]] || 5 || 9 || 2008–09
|-
| [[Karnataka football team|Karnataka / Mysore]] || 5 || 5 || 2022–23
|-
| [[Maharashtra football team|Maharashtra / Bombay]] || 4 || 12 || 1999–00
|-
| [[Railways football team|Railways]] || 3 || 6 || 1966–67
|-
| [[Hyderabad football team|Hyderabad]]|| 2 || 2 || 1957–58
|-
| [[Andhra Pradesh football team|Andhra Pradesh / Andhra]] || 1 || 1 || 1965–66
|-
| [[Delhi football team|Delhi]] || 1 || 1 || 1944–45
|-
| [[Manipur football team|Manipur]] || 1 || 1 || 2002–03
|-
| [[Mizoram football team|Mizoram]] || 1 || 0 || 2013–14
|-
| [[Tamil Nadu football team|Tamil Nadu / Madras]] || 0 || 2 || –
|-
|[[Meghalaya football team|Meghalaya]] || 0 || 1 || –
|}

== Performance in Asian competitions ==

=== [[AFC Champions League|Asian Champion Club Tournament]] ===
{| class="wikitable"
! style="background:#1C39BC; color:white; text-align:center;" |Year
! style="background:#1C39BC; color:white; text-align:center;" |Team
! style="background:#1C39BC; color:white; text-align:center;" |Progress
! style="background:#1C39BC; color:white; text-align:center;" |Score
! style="background:#1C39BC; color:white; text-align:center;" |Opponents
! style="background:#1C39BC; color:white; text-align:center;" |Venue(s)
|-
|[[1967 Asian Champion Club Tournament|1967]]
|[[Railways football team|Railways]]
| style="background:lightgreen;" |<s>Semi-finals</s>
|W/O
|{{flagicon|Israel}} [[Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C.|Hapoel Tel Aviv]]
|''Withdrew''
|-
|[[1969 Asian Champion Club Tournament|1969]]
|[[Karnataka football team|Mysore]]
| style="background:lightgreen;" |Fourth Place
|0–2
|{{flagicon|Japan}} [[Toyo Kogyo]]
|at [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]]
|-
|[[1970 Asian Champion Club Tournament|1970]]
|[[West Bengal football team|Bengal]]
|3rd in Group Stage
|N/A
| colspan="2" |{{flagicon|Israel}} [[Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C.|Hapoel Tel Aviv]], {{flagicon|Indonesia}} [[PSMS Medan]], {{flagicon|Thailand}} [[Insee Police United F.C.|Royal Thai Police]]
|-
|[[1971 Asian Champion Club Tournament|1971]]
|[[Punjab football team|Punjab]]
|4th in Group Stage
|N/A
| colspan="2" | {{flagicon|Thailand}} [[Bangkok Bank F.C.|Bangkok Bank]], {{flagicon|Israel}} [[Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C.|Maccabi Tel Aviv]], {{flagicon|Iraq}} [[Aliyat Al-Shorta SC|Aliyat Al-Shorta]]
|}

==See also==
*[[Sport in India]]
*[[History of Indian football]]
*[[Indian football league system]]
*[[Institutional League]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{Cite web |title=India's football past gasping for survival |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/football/india-s-football-past-gasping-for-survival/story-8cGyA03MIB3ay2LCflkcWJ.html |date=25 March 2018|work=[[Hindustan Times]] |last=Sarkar |first=Dhiman |location=Kolkata |access-date=16 April 2023 |archive-date=6 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106201153/https://www.hindustantimes.com/football/india-s-football-past-gasping-for-survival/story-8cGyA03MIB3ay2LCflkcWJ.html }}
*[https://bodopedia.com/football/santosh-trophy-2023-24-schedule/ Santosh Trophy 2023-23 Schedule]

{{Santosh Trophy}}
{{Football in India}}
{{Sports leagues of India}}

[[Category:Santosh Trophy| ]]
[[Category:Football cup competitions in India]]
[[Category:Recurring sporting events established in 1941]]
[[Category:1941 establishments in India]]