Bhubaneswar: In a vibrant ceremony held at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, the logo, trophy, jersey, and anthem of the CM Trophy (Under-15) Football Championship 2025 were officially unveiled today by Sports and Youth Services Minister Suryabanshi Suraj.
Speaking at the event, Minister Suraj described the CM Trophy initiative as a major stride in nurturing grassroots-level football talent across Odisha. He affirmed that the state government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, is strongly focused on promoting youth engagement in sports and building a structured talent pipeline.
“This championship will be instrumental in identifying exceptional talent from the grassroots level. The newly launched anthem beautifully captures the energy, passion, and commitment of young athletes,” said Minister Suraj.
The CM Trophy 2025 is being jointly organized by the Sports and Youth Services Department, Government of Odisha, and the Football Association of Odisha. The first phase of the tournament, held from January 16 to April 19, witnessed enthusiastic participation from 271 football clubs and over 5,000 young players representing every district of the state.
The upcoming zonal level (second phase) of the tournament will be held from May 28 to June 5, with district-level winners grouped into four zones — Sambalpur, Bhubaneswar, Keonjhar, and Berhampur. These zonal competitions will determine the finalists for the state-level championship round.
The three-tier structure — district, zonal, and state — is designed to scout and nurture talent at the grassroots, providing young players with the opportunity to shine on a larger stage. The anthem, unveiled alongside the trophy and jersey, seeks to energize players and fans alike, reflecting the state’s commitment to developing sports holistically.
The event was graced by prominent officials, including Ashirbad Behera, Secretary of the Football Association of Odisha, Bhaskar Sarma, Principal Secretary of the Sports and Youth Services Department, Deepankar Mohapatra, Director, Bijay Kumar Swain, Additional Secretary, and Bijayananda Nayak, Joint Secretary.
