Goa will once again find itself at the centre of grassroots football action as the state hosts two qualifying rounds of Red Bull Four 2 Score Season 4, one of the world’s most distinctive small-format football tournaments. With separate qualifiers scheduled in North and South Goa, a total of 96 teams from the state will compete for a place in the national finals later this year.
The North Goa qualifier will be held at Play Goa, while South Goa will host its matches at The Base. Both rounds will take place over two days, on January 24 and 25, with matches running from 9 am to 4 pm at each venue. Each qualifier will feature 48 teams, underscoring Goa’s sustained engagement with community-level football beyond the professional leagues.
Red Bull Four 2 Score is played in a stripped-down, high-intensity format designed to foreground speed, skill and decision-making. Matches are played four-a-side on a small field, without goalkeepers, and last 10 minutes. Goals scored in the opening and closing 60 seconds of a match count double, ensuring that teams remain aggressive from the first whistle to the last.
The tournament is open to players between the ages of 16 and 35, with teams allowed a maximum of five players, including one substitute. Participation is open across genders and matches can be played on a range of surfaces, from turf and grass to hard courts, reinforcing the tournament’s emphasis on accessibility.
At the end of the city qualifiers, the winning teams from each location across India will progress to the national finals, scheduled to be held in Coimbatore at the end of March. Ten city champions will compete in a group-plus-knockout format, with the eventual winner being crowned Red Bull Four 2 Score India champions.
In the event of a draw at the end of regulation time, matches are decided through a golden goal format, where one player from each team goes head-to-head until a goal is scored. Any denial of a clear goal-scoring opportunity during this phase results in an automatic win for the opposing team, adding an additional layer of pressure and discipline.
The national champions will earn the opportunity to represent India at the Red Bull Four 2 Score World Final in Toronto, Canada, scheduled to take place after the FIFA 2026 World Cup. In the previous season, Goa-based side Boom Boom Goa represented India at the World Finals in Salzburg and will once again be in the mix during the Goa qualifiers.
