Aaha! Gold Cup
{{Infobox football tournament
| title = Aaha Rara Pokhara Gold Cup
आहा रारा गोल्ड कप
| current =
| logo = AahaRaraGoldCupLogo.png
| founded = 2002
2003 (current format)
| region = Nepal
| number of teams = 12
| current champions =
| most successful club = Nepal Police Club
Manang Marshyangdi Club
(6 titles each)
| broadcasters = Hamro Khelkud
| website =
}}
Aaha! Gold Cup (Nepali: आहा ! गोल्ड कप āhā gōlḍ kap) is an annual international football tournament held in Pokhara, Nepal, and organized by the Sahara Club. It was formerly known as the Caravan Gold Cup. It is considered a major football tournament in Nepal, and is therefore endorsed by ANFA Kaski, a district FA of the All Nepal Football Association.
Background
Sahara Club (Pokhara) have been running a football academy for under-privileged children from the profit of the tournament and donations from various individuals and organisations. At present, there are 30 children at the academy
The major attraction of the cup is the involvement of major clubs of Nepal and some international clubs. The cup is recognized by ANFA and is included in its annual calendar. The tournament is conducted in a knockout format and 12 teams compete for the title. The tournament is the main event keeping the spirit of football alive in Nepal and handsomely rewards the clubs and players. It is also the longest sporting event to be held regularly. For the first time in history in 2019 there were only 10 club competing due to tight schedule of tournament all over Nepal and Date issue.{{cite web|url=http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action%3Dnews_details%26news_id%3D12424 |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2010-01-23 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100102114150/http://myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=12424 |archivedate=2010-01-02 }}
On the 13th edition of the tournament, English non-league side Aldershot Town FC entered in the tournament, and thus became the first European (UEFA) club to compete in the tournament's history.{{cite web|title=Aldershot Town youngsters jet out for trip of a lifetime to Nepal|url=http://www.gethampshire.co.uk/sport/football/news/aldershot-town-youngsters-jet-out-8585424|website=getHampshire.co.uk|accessdate=11 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206185156/http://www.gethampshire.co.uk/sport/football/news/aldershot-town-youngsters-jet-out-8585424|archive-date=2015-02-06|url-status=dead}}
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 19th edition of the tournament only featured 8 teams. The 20th edition was held with 1/3 of the spectators allowed by following Covid safety protocols.{{cite web |title=आहा ! फुटबलमा दर्शक |url=https://www.eadarsha.com/nep/125954 |website=Eadarsha |date=12 April 2021 |publisher=Eadarsha |access-date=5 October 2021}}{{cite web |title=च्याम्पियन बन्दै संकटाले रच्यो इतिहास |url=https://nepali.goalnepal.com/news/detail/1543 |website=goalnepal |access-date=5 October 2021}}
Previous winners
| class="wikitable" border="1" |
| style="text-align:center"
! Title ! Year B.S. ! Year A.D. ! Winners ! Runners-up ! {{Abbr|Refs.|References}} |
| style="text-align:center"
| Caravan | 2058 | 2002 |{{citation needed|date=March 2019}} |
| style="text-align:center"
| I | 2059 | 2003 | |
| style="text-align:center"
| II | 2060 | 2004 | {{flagicon|IND}} Carlton Football Club |
| style="text-align:center"
| III | 2061 | 2005 | |
| style="text-align:center"
| IV | 2062 | 2006 |
| style="text-align:center"
| V | 2063 | 2007 | |
| style="text-align:center"
| VI | 2064 | 2008 | |
| style="text-align:center"
| VII | 2065 | 2009 | |
| style="text-align:center"
| VIII | 2066 | 2010 |
| style="text-align:center"
| IX | 2067 | 2011 | |
| style="text-align:center"
| X | 2068 | 2012 |
| style="text-align:center"
| XI | 2069 | 2013 |
| style="text-align:center"
| XII | 2070 | 2014 |
| style="text-align:center"
| XIII | 2071 | 2015 | |
| style="text-align:center"
| XIV | 2072 | 2016 |
| style="text-align:center"
| XV | 2073 | 2017 |
| style="text-align:center
| XVI | 2074 | 2018 |
| style="text-align:center
| XVII | 2075 | 2019 |
| style="text-align:center
| XVIII | 2076 | 2020 | |
| style="text-align:center
| XIX | 2077 | 2021 | |
| style="text-align:center
| XX | 2078 | 2022 |
| style="text-align:center
|XI |
| style="text-align:center
|XII |2079 |2023 | Bhutanese Youth Club |
| style="text-align:center
|XIII |2080 |2024 |
| style="text-align:center
| XXIV | 2081 | 2025 | {{flagicon|UZB}} Black Bulls FC |
Top performing clubs
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Club ! Winners ! Runners-up | ||
| Nepal Police Club | 6 | 2 |
| Manang Marshyangdi Club | 6 | 6 |
| Three Star Club | 5 | 2 |
| Nepal Army Club (formerly Tribhuwan Army) | 2 | 4 |
| Sankata Club | 2 | 0 |
| Sahara Club (Pokhara) | 1 | 2 |
| Nepal A.P.F. Club | 1 | 1 |
| African United Club | 1 | 0 |
| {{flagicon|IND}} Carlton Football Club | 0 | 1 |
| Friends Club | 0 | 1 |
| Jawalakhel Youth Club | 0 | 1 |
| African Roots Association | 0 | 1 |
External links
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzElKSdY1ww Aaha Rara Gold Cup official anthem]
- [https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=785304664893459 BBC South report]
- [https://www.rsssf.org/tablesn/nepalchamp.html RSSSF.com - Nepal - List of Champions and Cup Winners]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20100327202057/http://www.saharaclubpokhara.com.np/index.php Sahara Club official website]