Mangaluru : The 19th annual Independence Cup football tournament organised by Dakshina Kannada District Football Association was inaugurated at Nehru Maidan here on Tuesday. The tourney will be held in four categories for 19 days.

More than 200 teams are expected to play the tournament which is open for primary school, high school, pre-university and degree/engineering college students. In primary school category, 36 teams (boys and girls) have registered their names and matches will be held on July 29 and 30. In high school category, 64 teams have registered names and matches will be held between July 31 and August 4. Registration is under progress for PU and degree/ engineering categories, and organisers expect more than 100 teams in these categories. On Independence Day, seven teams of four categories will play for the championship. The champions would get a cash prize of Rs 50,000 and a trophy. Earlier, Mangalore City Corporation Member A Divakar inaugurated the tournament.

Association President D M Aslam, Corporators Abdul Latheef, Vijaya Suvarna, entrepreneurs A K Niyaz, Mithil Putran, Yuvaraj Bengre were also present. The inaugural match was played between the girls from Cambridge School and Kalladka Sree Rama School.