The annual BAPS Charities 5-a-side youth football tournament, the Amrut Cup, took place on Saturday 7 September 2024 at Fairlop Powerleague in East London. This year’s event marked a significant milestone, with Chigwell hosting the tournament for the first time since its inception in 1996. The competition saw an impressive turnout, with 45 teams and over 300 players from across the UK, Ireland, and also the Netherlands participating.
The 2024 tournament introduced a new format, with teams split into two categories: K1 and K2. The 18 K1 teams were divided into three groups, while the 27 K2 teams were split into five groups. The group-stage fixtures provided plenty of entertainment and a platform for showcasing the immense talent within the participating teams.
The bottom four K1 teams entered play-offs to join the remaining 14 teams, which had automatically progressed to the round of 16, with their match-ups determined by their group-stage rankings. In the K2 category, the top team from each group earned a bye to the round of 16, while the remaining teams entered the play-offs based on their group rankings.
One of the standout moments of the knockout stages was the shock elimination of the 2023 Amrut Cup champions North London Barnet, who suffered a 1-0 defeat to Birmingham A in the round of 16.
In the Amrut Cup K1 semi-finals, teams from four different regions faced off. West London edged past Harrow-Brent F with a 1-0 victory, while East London C secured a 2-1 win over Luton A. The final saw West London triumph over East London C, clinching a 2-1 victory thanks to decisive goals from Param Patel and Maharshi Patel.
The Amrut Cup K2 semi-finals had a unique composition with three of the four teams hailing from Leicester. Leicester G defeated Leicester E in a tense penalty shoot-out, while Harrow-Brent G overcame Leicester F in a closely contested match to prevent an all-Leicester final.
The K2 final between Harrow-Brent G and Leicester G was a rematch of their earlier group-stage encounter, which ended in a draw. The final proved to be another tight and cagey affair, but a magical strike by Nishchay Patel made the difference, securing a 1-0 victory for Harrow-Brent G.
The tournament concluded with the awards ceremony.
Team & Individual Awards
• Amrut Cup K1 Winners: West London
• Amrut Cup K1 Runners-Up: East London C
• Amrut Cup K2 Winners: Harrow-Brent G
• Amrut Cup K2 Runners-Up: Leicester G
K1 Individual Awards
• Best Player: Kian Patel (Luton A)
• Best Goalkeeper: Milan Sonecha (West London)
• Golden Boot: Nishaan Patel (Luton A)
K2 Individual Awards
• Best Player: Shivam Vyas (Harrow-Brent G)
• Best Goalkeeper: Aman Chauhan (Harrow-Brent G)
• Golden Boot: Aayush Gangji (Leicester E)
The Amrut Cup 2024 was a resounding success, offering young players an opportunity to showcase their skills, promote teamwork, and strengthen community ties across the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands. The tournament continues to be a highlight in the youth football calendar, fostering a spirit of healthy competition and camaraderie among all participants
