GANGTOK,: The Sikkim women’s football team has qualified for the 38th National Games 2025, a first for the State.
Eight top State teams including Sikkim and the host State Uttarakhand have been selected for the 38th National Games 2025 based on their performances in the 2023-24 season of senior national football championships.
Uttarakhand is hosting the National Games 2025 in February with fixtures for the women’s football to be drawn shortly.
The official selection was communicated to the Sikkim Football Association (SFA) on Thursday by the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
SFA president Menla Ethenpa and general secretary Phurba Sherpa congratulated the Sikkim women’s football team under coach Puspa Gurung. It is for the first time that Sikkim women’s football team has qualified to participate in the National Games, said the SFA.
Presently, the Sikkim women’s team is returning from Chhattisgarh after participating in the Senior Women National Championship 2024.
In its press statement, the SFA thanked Chief Minister PS Golay and his spouse Krishna Kumari Rai (also the SFA women’s wing chief patron) for their continuous support.
This is a dream come true for the SFA, adding that the historic achievement is the result of the unconditional support received from the Chief Minister, his spouse Krishna Kumari Rai, the Sports minister and Sports secretary and the Sports department.
The SFA maintained that the present Sikkim women’s football team members have done what no other footballer in Sikkim has been able to do, which is to be in contention to be called "National Level Footballers".
“It is a commonly misplaced notion that anyone going for the National Football Championships across genders and age categories are dubbed National Level Footballers. However it is a qualifying tournament, and a veil never before pierced by any team in Sikkim's footballing history,” said the SFA.