Oriental Cup 2026: DPS Vasant Vihar, Step by Step, Mother's International, GD Goenka reach semis
Synopsis
Four schools — DPS Vasant Vihar, Step by Step, Mother's International, and GD Goenka — punched their tickets to the Oriental Cup 2026 boys' U-17 semis on Tuesday. The standout story: DPS Vasant Vihar's 3-1 comeback against DPS RK Puram, sparked by an Abhyuday Singh brace. With semis on Wednesday and a ₹2.5 lakh scholarship on the line, the stakes just got higher.
Key Takeaways
DPS Vasant Vihar , Step by Step School , Mother's International School , and G.D.
Goenka School qualified for the boys' U-17 semifinals of the Oriental Cup 2026 on 14 July 2026 .
Abhyuday Singh scored a brace to power DPS Vasant Vihar to a 3-1 comeback win over DPS RK Puram.
Naunidh Gandhi's brace sealed a 2-1 victory for Step by Step School, Noida over St.
Dhruv Tuli's converted penalty gave Mother's International a 1-0 win over Mount Carmel School, Dwarka.
Kaartikya Kashyap Chugh netted twice as G.D.
Goenka beat Vasant Valley School 2-0 .
The tournament features a ₹2.5 lakh scholarship programme for 10 student-athletes; semifinals take place on Wednesday, 15 July .
DPS Vasant Vihar, Step by Step School, Mother's International School, and G.D. Goenka School sealed their berths in the semifinals of the Oriental Cup 2026 boys' under-17 section on Tuesday, 14 July, following four quarterfinal clashes at Dr Ambedkar Stadium in New Delhi. The results set up a highly anticipated final-four stage as the fourth edition of the tournament enters its penultimate round.
DPS Vasant Vihar Stage Comeback to Down DPS RK Puram
The opening quarterfinal delivered the day's most dramatic turnaround. Ayush Ranjan handed DPS, R.K. Puram an early advantage in the 4th minute, but Idaant Trivedi levelled for DPS Vasant Vihar just five minutes later in the 9th minute. Abhyuday Singh then took centre stage, putting his side ahead in the 12th minute before completing a brace with a second goal in the 40th minute. The final score of 3-1 reflected a composed second-half performance after a nervy opening.
Step by Step Edge Past St. Francis De Sales in Tight Contest
The second quarterfinal was equally competitive. Naunidh Gandhi opened the scoring for Step by Step School, Noida in the 10th minute, only for Hirom Perryn to equalise for St. Francis De Sales Senior Secondary School two minutes later. Gandhi responded swiftly, restoring the lead in the 14th minute with his second goal of the match. His brace proved the difference as Step by Step held on for a 2-1 victory and a place in the last four.
Mother's International Win on Penalty, GD Goenka Cruise Through
In the third quarterfinal, Mother's International School, Delhi and Mount Carmel School, Dwarka were locked in a goalless first half before the match turned on a 24th-minute penalty. Dhruv Tuli stepped up and converted calmly, his solitary spot-kick delivering a 1-0 win for Mother's International.
The day concluded with G.D. Goenka School, Dwarka registering the most convincing result — a 2-0 win over Vasant Valley School. Kaartikya Kashyap Chugh was the standout performer, netting in the 11th and 23rd minutes to complete a composed brace and send his school through without conceding.
Tournament Context and What Is at Stake
The fourth edition of the Oriental Cup runs from 7 to 16 July at Dr Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi, and is expected to feature over 1,500 student-athletes from more than 45 teams across the Delhi-NCR region. The tournament carries a more than doubled prize pool this year, along with a ₹2.5 lakh scholarship programme for 10 deserving student-athletes — underlining its growing stature as one of the region's premier school football competitions.
Semifinal Schedule
Wednesday's programme features four semifinal fixtures — two each in the boys' and girls' categories. The four boys' semifinalists are DPS Vasant Vihar, Step by Step School, Mother's International School, and G.D. Goenka School. Pairings are yet to be confirmed. The tournament final is scheduled for 16 July.
Point of View
A ₹2.5 lakh scholarship, and 1,500-plus athletes — signals a genuine attempt to professionalise school football in Delhi-NCR, a space that has historically lacked structured pathways. Tuesday's quarterfinals showed real competitive depth: three of four matches were decided by a single goal or a comeback. The question is whether the tournament's momentum translates into scouting pipelines for state and national age-group setups, or remains a well-run annual event without a development tail.
NationPress
14 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which schools have qualified for the Oriental Cup 2026 boys' U-17 semifinals?
DPS Vasant Vihar, Step by Step School (Noida), Mother's International School (Delhi), and G.D. Goenka School (Dwarka) have qualified for the boys' under-17 semifinals of the Oriental Cup 2026 after winning their respective quarterfinals on 14 July at Dr Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi.
When and where are the Oriental Cup 2026 semifinals being held?
The semifinals are scheduled for Wednesday, 15 July, at Dr Ambedkar Stadium in New Delhi. Four fixtures will be played — two each in the boys' and girls' categories.
What is the Oriental Cup 2026 scholarship programme?
The Oriental Cup 2026 features a ₹2.5 lakh scholarship programme for 10 deserving student-athletes. It is part of a broader effort to raise the tournament's profile and reward academic and sporting merit.
Who were the top scorers in the boys' quarterfinals on 14 July?
Abhyuday Singh (DPS Vasant Vihar), Naunidh Gandhi (Step by Step School), Dhruv Tuli (Mother's International), and Kaartikya Kashyap Chugh (G.D. Goenka) each scored braces or decisive goals in their respective matches.
What is the Oriental Cup 2026 and how big is the tournament?
The Oriental Cup is a school football tournament held at Dr Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi. Its fourth edition runs from 7 to 16 July 2026, featuring over 1,500 student-athletes from more than 45 teams across the Delhi-NCR region, with a more than doubled prize pool compared to previous editions.
