Riding on the growing popularity of football and renewed excitement around FIFA, the Dakshina Kannada Football Association (DKFA) is expecting record participation in this year’s Independence Cup football tournament, scheduled from July 22 to August 15.

DKFA president DM Aslam said the association has already been receiving numerous enquiries from students and football enthusiasts. According to him, FIFA-related enthusiasm among youngsters is likely to translate into a higher number of teams, particularly from Mangaluru city.

“Every year we are witnessing an increase in participation, and this year we expect even more teams to join the competition,” Aslam said.

Association data shows a steady rise in participation over the past five years, with 211 teams competing in 2021, 218 in 2022, 219 in 2023, 223 in 2024, and 231 teams in 2025.

The 25-day tournament will bring together teams from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Madikeri and occasionally Hassan district. The event traditionally concludes on Independence Day. Aslam said the tournament schedule will be finalised shortly, following a meeting of the association, after which invitations will be sent to participating teams.

Preparations are already underway, with several teams beginning early-morning training sessions.

A major attraction this year will be the venue. Unlike last year, when matches were conducted on private grounds, the tournament will be played on the newly developed astro turf football ground adjacent to Nehru Maidan in Mangaluru.

The competition will be held across multiple categories, including higher primary, high school, girls’, PUC and degree divisions. In the girls’ section, the Under-14 category is meant for higher primary students, while the high school division accommodates players up to 17 years of age. The senior girls’ category is open to both PUC and degree-level students.

Aslam said the association has been actively encouraging girls’ participation, noting that several players associated with DKFA are currently representing clubs and teams in Bengaluru as well as at the national level.

Last year, the girls’ segment attracted around 16 high school teams and nine teams from the PUC and degree categories, and organisers expect those numbers to grow further this year.