Garhwal Post Bureau
MUSSOORIE, 1 Aug: The 53rd edition of the prestigious St. George’s College Heritage Cup (Jackie) Invitational Football Tournament 2026 commenced with great enthusiasm and sporting fervour at St. George’s College, Mussoorie on Saturday. The tournament, scheduled to be held from Saturday August 1 to 14, has brought together 24 leading football teams from schools and clubs across the region, reaffirming the tournament’s rich legacy of promoting excellence in football and fostering sportsmanship among young athletes.
Chief Guest Amit Sinha, Special Principal Secretary, Sports & Youth Welfare, Government of Uttarakhand, officially kicked off the 53rd St. George’s College Heritage Cup (Jackie) Invitational Football Tournament 2026, after the ceremonial toss, marking the beginning of another exciting edition of the championship.
The participating teams are Mussoorie Madrid Club, Bhatta Sports Club, Blu Football Club, Eleven Star Club, Khetwala Sports Club, Aryan Sports Club, Kyarkulli Sports Club, Yuva Sports Club, Shiva Sports Club, Manor Boys Club, Manorite, Mussoorie Boys Sports Club, Doon Valley Public School, St. George’s College (B), Oak Grove School, Aryan School, Mussoorie Public School, Wynberg Allen School (B), St. George’s College (C), Hampton Court School, Wynberg Allen School (A), St. George’s College (A), Navchetan Sports Club, and Mussoorie United Football Club.
The inaugural match witnessed an exciting contest between St. George’s College (C Team) and Hampton Court School, with both teams sharing honours in a 1-1 draw. Suraj gave Hampton Court School the lead in the 42nd minute, while Ayushman equalised for St. George’s College (C Team) in the 44th minute, ensuring an entertaining finish to the opening encounter.
The second match of the day, played between Blu Football Club and Bhatta Sports Club, also ended in a closely contested 1-1 draw. Aman put Bhatta Sports Club ahead in the very 1st minute of the match, while Sahil restored parity for Blu Football Club with a goal in the 32nd minute.
In the third match of the day, Khetwala Sports Club registered a commanding 6–0 victory over Eleven Star Club. Aman opened the scoring with goals in the 20th and 28th minutes, while Manish found the net in the 39th and 55th minutes. Himanshu added another goal in the 41st minute, and Rohan completed the scoring in the 52nd minute.
The matches were efficiently officiated by the panel of referees comprising Pushkar Singh Gusain, Pradeep Negi, Deepak Rawat, Milan, and Anish Chhetri.
Addressing the gathering, Amit Kumar Sinha, applauded St. George’s College for sustaining one of the region’s most respected football tournaments for over five decades. He highlighted the transformative power of sports in shaping discipline, resilience, leadership, and teamwork among young people. Encouraging the participants to play with integrity and determination, he reminded them that true success lies not merely in winning trophies but in displaying character, respect for opponents, and unwavering sportsmanship. He wished all the participating teams the very best for the tournament and urged them to make the most of the opportunity to learn, compete, and grow.
The Opening Ceremony and inaugural day’s proceedings of the St. George’s College Heritage Cup (Jackie) Invitational Football Tournament 2026 were successfully conducted under the supervision of Brother Jeyaseelan S. (Principal), Brother Britto (Superior and Sports Secretary), Brother Sylvanus Kerketta (Vice-Principal), Brother Lawrence Kujur (Assistant Sports Secretary), Brother Nithin Mitorly, Mr. Anand Thapa (Sports Coordinator), Bhavnesh Negi (PRO), and the dedicated members of the Sports Department of St. George’s College, Mussoorie.
The tournament promises two weeks of exhilarating football action as talented school and club teams compete for one of the most coveted football titles in the region, continuing the proud sporting tradition and legacy of St. George’s College, Mussoorie.
