AIFF Media Team

Goa, January 14, 2019: The second stage of the Hero Elite League (U-18) is all set to kick-off at the Navelim Ground in Goa, with Kahani FC taking on MSP Academy at 9 am on Tuesday, January 15.

After the Preliminary Zonal Round, as many as 10 teams have made it to the second or the Playoff stage of the tournament, which is set to be played from January 15 to 24. The 10 teams are divided into two groups of five teams each, with the top two teams from each group, along with the best third-placed team will make it to the Final Round, where they will join 11 more teams to fight it out for the top honours in the U-18 level.

The Final Round is set to get underway from January 27.

The Playoff round is set to be played across two ground in Goa — the Navelim Ground and the Utorda Ground.

Apart from the football academies and local clubs across India that are taking part in the tournament, a number of I-League and ISL clubs are also participating in the Hero Elite League. Among those that have made the playoffs are the likes of Real Kashmir, Minerva Punjab, Shillong Lajong, Aizawl FC, Jamshedpur FC and Kerala Blasters.

Group I
Real Kashmir FC
Kahani FC
MSP Football Academy
Minerva Punjab FC
FC Mangalore

Group II
Kerala Blasters FC
Aizawl FC
Raman Vijayan Soccer School
Jamshedpur FC
Shillong Lajong FC