Match Highlights: Jammu Set for Sporting Revival as Football, Cricket Super Leagues Kick Off | Kashmir Life – Key Moments

SRINAGAR: Jammu is poised for a high-energy sporting revival as the Department of Youth Services and Sports (YSS), in collaboration with the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council (JKSC), prepares to launch two marquee competitions, the YSS-JKSC Football Premier League and the YSS-JKSC Cricket League, promising weeks of competitive action and a renewed buzz around grassroots sport in the winter capital.

Spread across two of the city’s most recognisable sporting venues, the twin leagues will see football returning to the Synthetic Turf Football Ground at Parade. At the same time, cricket takes centre stage at the historic M A Stadium, setting the stage for what officials describe as a major push to revive professional-level tournaments in Jammu.

“The YSS-JKSC Cricket and Football Premier League Tournaments 2025–26 are a much-needed initiative that will significantly contribute to the revival of Jammu’s professional cricket and football ecosystem,” a JKSC spokesperson said.

The Football Premier League, to be held at the Synthetic Turf, Parade, marks the return of top-tier football to the heart of the city. With the turf readied and floodlights in place, the league is expected to generate the kind of atmosphere long associated with football in Jammu.

To ensure professional conduct, organising committees and sub-committees have been constituted, comprising former national and international players, referees, umpires, coaches, club owners and JKSC officials, the spokesperson said.

Running parallel will be the Cricket League at the M A Stadium, signalling the comeback of competitive cricket at one of Jammu’s most cherished venues. As the pitch is prepared and teams finalise their squads, anticipation is already building over the race for the title.

According to officials, the football league will feature 41 matches, while the cricket league will comprise 39 matches, with the final format and match schedules to be determined after the participating teams are finalised. All matches will be conducted strictly under FIFA and AIFF regulations in football and ICC and BCCI rules in cricket.

Emphasising talent development, the JKSC said participation will largely be restricted to permanent resident players from the Jammu Division, subject to scrutiny by the Technical and Registration Committees. In cricket, however, teams will be allowed a maximum of five out-stationed players to raise the competitive standard.

“The objective is to ensure that players from the Jammu Division get ample opportunities to compete in a high-quality, professional environment,” the spokesperson said.

To enhance the scale and visibility of the events, organisers plan grand opening and closing ceremonies, floodlit matches at both venues, and live telecasts of matches on social media platforms to attract a wider audience.

AIFF-accredited referees and BCCI-certified umpires will officiate the matches, while the JKSC will provide match-day refreshments through approved Event Management Agencies. Trophies, medallions, mementoes, branding material, stationery and medical facilities will also be arranged, particularly for the closing ceremonies.

“It is anticipated that large audiences will once again fill the stands at the Mini Stadium Synthetic Turf Parade and the M A Stadium Jammu,” the spokesperson said, adding that the leagues would offer aspiring sportspersons a vital platform to showcase their talent and aim for success at national and international levels.

With two formats, two venues and one city brimming with expectation, the twin YSS-JKSC leagues are being seen as a significant step towards reclaiming Jammu’s sporting culture and bringing competitive sport back into its public spaces.