Organizing a press conference at the Dasharath Stadium on Wednesday, All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) General Secretary Dhirendra Pradhan informed that the final rounds will feature 16 teams in boys´ section and eight in girls´ section selected through district and regional level qualifiers. The district qualifiers were held across all 42 districts affiliated to ANFA. Altogether 1,010 teams in boys´ and 101 teams in girls´ sections had competed in the qualifiers.[break]
Two teams each from Eastern, Central and Western regions and one each from Mid-western and Far-western regions qualified for the boys´ finals. Eight other teams from Kathmandu were also selected for the final rounds after holding a separate qualifying tournament in the capital.
Meanwhile, the girls´ finals will feature a total of eight teams -- four from Kathmandu and one each from every development region except Far-west.The boys´ teams are divided into four different groups and the girls´ teams into two groups. The group winners and runners-up after the single round-robin league will qualify for the quarterfinals in the boys´ section. In the girls´ section, the group winners and runners-up after the round-robin league will qualify for the semifinals.
Siddhartha Vanasthali and Gandhi Adarsha from Kathmandu, Bhanu Memorial from Morang and Shree High School from Mahottari are drawn in Group A of the boys´ section. Group B consists of Army School (Bhaktapur), Apple Academy of Kathmandu, Gandaki of Pokhara and Kameshwar of Kailali.
Bal Srijanalaya and Creative Learners Academy of Kathmandu are in Group C along with Bhootpurva Sainik of Syangja and Jana Higher Secondary School of Surkhet. Similarly, Gyanodaya International Residence and Kathmandu Valley of Kathmandu, Sautha of Morang and Setidevi of Sindhupalchowk make up Group D.
In the girls´ section, Arunima and Army School from Kathmandu are drawn in Group A alongside Janajyoti of Rautahat and Deep Jyoti of Banke while Group B comprises Apple Academy and Modern Indian of Kathmandu, Singhadevi of Morang and Tops of Pokhara.
The top four teams in the boys´ section will be awarded cash prizes of Rs 300,000, Rs 150,000, Rs 75,000 and Rs 50,000 respectively. Similarly, the top four girls´ teams will receive Rs 200,000, Rs 150,000, Rs 50,000 and Rs 25,000 respectively.
Meanwhile, Salman Latif Rawn, the managing director of sponsor Bottlers Nepal Limited, handed over jerseys to tournament coordinator Birat Jung Shahi during the function. As the chief sponsor Bottlers Nepal, the producer of Coca-Cola, has provided Rs 4.5 million to ANFA for the tournament.
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