News9 Plus, promoted by TV9 Network, India’s largest television news network, successfully launched News9 Plus Corporate Cup, a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at bringing business leaders together.

The curtain has now closed on India Inc’s highly anticipated corporate tournament, leaving a trail of excitement and anticipation for what’s to come.

The three-day extravaganza ended on Sunday with a standing ovation from corporate leaders, partners, and organizers for delivering a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Throughout the three-day tournament, spectators were on the edge of their seats as each team dribbled brilliantly, made brilliant moves, and created goal-scoring opportunities. There were also some outstanding defensive moves. The atmosphere was electrifying, with the crowd roaring with every near-miss and goal.

The News9 Plus Corporate Cup featured a total of 26 top-tier teams from India’s largest corporate giants competing for the ultimate prize, making it one of the most exciting and diverse corporate events in the country.

The top-tier football corporate tournament of India Inc. reached a climax after three days of intense matches and nail-biting finishes, with HDFC Team 1 claiming the title. The team is excited to see FC München play at Munich’s iconic Allianz Arena. The three runner-up teams, Infosys, Teleperformance, and HDFC 2, were also strong.

An upbeat Kishore Nair (the winning team’s  captain) said, “We are glad that we got an opportunity to play at this beautiful ground. We did what we had come for, all thanks to our mentor and idol Sukesh Shastri! He taught us how to fight as a team and be calm till the last moment. The team will hold celebrations in Pune and Mumbai.”

Anup Nair, Captain, of the Infosys football team (Cup Runner-Up) said, “It was brilliant. When we got the poster of the tournament, we never imagined the scale at which it is going to be organised, as they were saying that they are going to send a team to Bayern, and they are going to watch a match there. To be honest, we were not very sure, but we wanted to play, so any way that trumps everything else so we ensured we got our team in.”

News9 Plus Corporate Cup was co-powered by U GRO Capital and supported by the Directorate of Sports & Youth Services, Government of Maharashtra. Special partners Varad Property Solutions, Rajyog Paints, and Vidya Aradhana Academy; Hospitality partner The Orchid Hotel, Pune; sports equipment partner NIVIA; beverage partner Limca Sportz; Radio partner Red FM 93.5; along with associate partners Parishrama Neet Academy, Bengaluru; Swargaseema Sandalwood Farms Pvt. Ltd.; Narayana Educational Institutions; and Lalitha Jewellery Mart Pvt. Ltd. contributed to making the

Sharing his experience being part of the News9 Plus Corporate Cup, a bullish Peter Leible, Senior Advisor, Bundesliga, said, “In all these years, I’ve never seen a Corporate Cup on such a level worldwide. The production, pitch, branding, efforts, dedication, and commitment from everybody was great.”

During his address at the presentation ceremony, Barun Das, MD and CEO, of TV9 Network said, “I am happy that the News9 Plus Corporate Cup has delivered on its promise of enabling an unrivaled exciting engagement for corporate leaders. The success of the inaugural tournament has been mainly due to the stupendous support and participation of top corporates. Next year, the News9 Plus Corporate Cup will scale up the excitement quotient and come back even bigger.”

“It would be a joy to see our women participate and win in the next News9 Plus Corporate Tournament. I strongly believe India can excel in global sports like the World Cup and the Olympics. Football is not just a sport but a way of life for youth worldwide. To achieve our national aspirations, we must leverage our full potential, including the 50% strength of women. For example, the Indian Women’s football team, ranked 57th globally and 11th in Asia, has a good chance of qualifying for the World Cup before the men’s team,” added Barun Das, MD and CEO of TV9 Network, who himself is a passionate football enthusiast and was spotted dribbling and scoring goals in the lead-up to the grand finale of the championship.

Sukesh Shastri, Senior VP, HDFC, who also heads the company’s sports division, said, “I would like to thank the entire TV9 team for organising an event at this scale. It takes immense effort from all. The event was well-managed and even the minute details were taken care of efficiently, from stay and food to referees, jerseys, facilities on the ground, etc. This was the best-managed event we have played in the last 25 years. India needs it, and thanks to TV9 for taking this initiative. We will always support it.”

Commenting on the News9 Corporate Cup, Alvito D’Cunha, Captain, Indian Legends football team, said, “I would like to thank Barun and Peter for supporting this event. Though it was a hectic journey, the atmosphere was so good. We really enjoyed it, and we would definitely like to be a part of this event in the future.”

The News9 Plus Corporate Cup kicked off with a bang, as the best of India Inc got together for a sporting extravaganza. And what better way to kickstart the tournament than an exhibition match between Maharashtra Sports Commissioner’s team and the Indian Legends team, also known as the Pune Veterans!

The TV9 Network has been at the forefront of promoting corporate sporting excellence in India. With the overwhelming success of their News9 Corporate Cup, the Network has set new benchmarks for corporate engagement, and its commitment to this cause remains unwavering. As a testimony to their dedication, the Network has promised to be back with even more exciting sporting events in the forthcoming editions.