The Santosh Trophy, one of the oldest and most prestigious football tournaments in India, has a rich history dating back to 1941. It is named after the Maharaja Sir Manmatha Nath Roy Chowdhary, who, at the time, was the president of the IFA, the football organisation of Bengal.

The tournament, of which West Bengal are the record winners with 32 titles, was established to promote football at the state level and, over the years, has played a crucial role in the development of Indian football, fostering a sense of unity and competition among different states.

The tournament had failed to gain major traction in recent years, and so in the 2023 edition, which was won by Karnataka, there was a change in format, and the semifinals, third-place match, and final were held outside of India, in Saudi Arabia, for the first time in history.

Alongside the Durand Cup, Rovers Cup, and Kalinga Cup, the Santosh Trophy holds a strong significance in the annals of Indian football.