Gangtok, Oct 26 :For the first time in the history of Sikkimese football, an international friendly match between India’s Senior National Women’s Football Team and Nepal’s Senior National Women’s Football Team will be held at Paljor Stadium, Gangtok, on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. The event is being organized as a contribution from the football fraternity of Sikkim to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Sikkim’s statehood.
Shri Pursotam Kattel, Secretary General of the South Asian Football Federation, will attend the occasion as the Guest of Honour.
The match has been made possible through the guidance and support of Sikkim Chief Minister Shri Prem Singh Tamang (Golay) and the cooperation of Shri Kalyan Chaubey, President of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), who has been instrumental in promoting football across the country. To honor the visiting teams and officials, Chief Minister Tamang will also host a gala dinner on October 28 at Samman Bhawan, Gangtok.
The Indian Women’s Football Team recently qualified for the AFC Asia Cup 2026 after a gap of 22 years. The team, led by Head Coach Shri Crispin Chettri and featuring players like Ms. Anju Tamang, includes Sikkim’s own football sensation, Ms. Abistha Basnett, a standout from India’s U-17 team, who may also make a special appearance during the match.
Entry tickets are priced at ₹100, ₹150, and ₹200, while school students in uniform or with identity cards, along with students from various football academies holding ID cards, will be granted free entry.
Chief Minister Tamang will grace the event as Chief Guest. The Sikkim Football Association has called upon football enthusiasts from across Sikkim and neighboring regions — including Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Kurseong, and Siliguri — to attend the match at Paljor Stadium and join in celebrating women’s empowerment through football as well as the golden jubilee of Sikkim’s statehood.
