Sporting Khalsa will host Punjab United in a pre-season friendly ahead of South Asian Heritage Month in mid-July. The match will take place at Sporting Khalsa’s home ground in Willenhall. Both teams have faced each other before at the Diversity Football Festival. The two sides have built a good relationship, and this fixture will build on it. Punjab United recently won the Kent Senior Trophy, and Sporting Khalsa had a good campaign. The two teams discussed playing a friendly ahead of the new season during an FA faith and football event. Punjab United play in the Premier Division of the Southern Counties East Football League.
Sporting Khalsa and Punjab United will face each other in a pre-season friendly at Sporting Khalsa’s home ground in mid-July, just days before the start of South Asian Heritage Month. The annual event, which runs between July 18 and August 17, celebrates the culture, history, and achievements of South Asians in the UK.
The two teams have previously played against each other in the Diversity Football Festival, including at Punjab United’s Steve Cook Stadium two years ago. The friendly tournament also featured Sporting Bengal United and Leicester Nirvana.
Khalsa sporting director Jas Batt expressed his excitement about the upcoming fixture, stating, “It’s really exciting to welcome our brothers and sisters from Punjab United to the West Midlands for this exciting pre-season clash. We’ve enjoyed a very good campaign and Punjab United have just come off the back of cup success by winning the Kent Senior Trophy, so there is plenty for us to celebrate together.”
Batt also highlighted the positive values that both clubs embody, saying, “Both clubs showcase so much of what’s right about our game. This fixture builds on our blossoming relationship with Punjab United.”
The two teams reportedly discussed the possibility of a friendly ahead of the new season during a recent FA faith and football event. The event also saw the unveiling of a timeline and display documenting the history of South Asian heritage female players at the home of English football.
Punjab United, who play in the Premier Division of the Southern Counties East Football League, ended last season on a high note by winning the Kent Senior Trophy. Jayden Hussain scored a hat-trick in a 6-0 victory over Deal Town at Maidstone United’s Gallagher Stadium.
Sporting Khalsa, founded in 1991, has established a reputation for promoting diversity and inclusion in football. The club has previously organized events to support the LGBTQ+ community and to raise awareness about mental health.
The upcoming fixture between Sporting Khalsa and Punjab United is another example of how football can bring people together and celebrate diversity. As South Asian Heritage Month approaches, it is essential to recognize the contributions and achievements of South Asians in the UK and beyond.
Football has the power to unite communities and break down barriers, and this friendly between Sporting Khalsa and Punjab United is a testament to that. Let us hope that this fixture will inspire more initiatives that promote diversity, inclusion, and equality in football and beyond.
Sources: Sky Sports
