Who will participate in the 2012 Nehru Cup?

The All India Football Federation is set to organise the 2012 edition of the Nehru Cup from August 23 to September 2 at the Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. Besides hosts India four other nations will take part in the Nehru Cup which will be held three decades after the first edition in 1982. Also it will be part of the AIFF celebrating its Platinum Jubilee (75th anniversary).

But there is confusion on who will participate in the tournament this year with invited country football associations telling their respective national media that they will participate after accepting the AIFF offer. The only thing which is clear is that the AIFF is preferring to have two African and two Asian sides joining India in a five team competition.

The AIFF had send out more then 10 invitations across Asia and Africa. After it became clear that Nigeria wouldn't like to take part, Cameroon and Kenya were approached with Kenya having since accepted the invitation while Cameroon had given positive feedback about an interest to participate. Another nation doing the rounds as possible back-up is Senegal.

Meanwhile within Asia the nations of Afghanistan, Jordan, Maldives, the Philippines, Syria and Thailand are said to be amongst the nations approached with Jordan, Maldives, the Philippines and Syria all willing to participate.

Currently the AIFF seems to favour Cameroon and Kenya plus Syria and Jordan taking part in the tournament. But the AIFF will soon have to take a final decision on who it would like to see participate in the tournament, so the search for a title sponsor and television broadcaster can go ahead in full flow, then on the 75th anniversary it wouldn't show Indian football in good light without one of these or even both.