The 2024–25 Santosh Trophy was the 78th edition of the Santosh Trophy, the premier competition in India for senior men's football teams representing their respective states/union territories and government institutions.
[2] The All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced in October 2024 that the group stage matches would begin the following month and would be played in six venues.
Hosts Telangana and last year's finalists, Services and Goa were exempted from playing the group stage fixtures.
[2] 38 teams entered the competition; Service and Goa, the finalists of the previous edition, and Telangana, the hosts received direct entry to the final round.
It was announced that the winners of each group would make the final round.