4th Vedanta Youth Cup Kicks Off in Goa
Goa 21st October’25– The much-anticipated 4th edition of the Vedanta U-16 Youth Cup commenced on 21st October’25, bringing together top youth football talent from across the state & the country for an intense series of matches in Goa.
This year’s tournament features eight premier teams: All India Football Federation (AIFF) Talent Academy, Cortalim Villagers, Bengaluru FC, Dempo SC, Muthoot FA, Sesa Football Academy, FC Goa, Belgaum United Football Academy.
The competition is being held at three premier venues, SFA’s Sirsaim Campus, Vagator Ground, FC Goa Guirim Ground providing an excellent platform for budding footballers to showcase their skills.
The Tournament is being played in a ‘pool’ format, with the 8 teams split into two ‘pools’ of four each. The top two teams from each ‘pool’ will contest the semi-finals and vie for a place in the Finals. The semi-finals and the summit clash are scheduled on 27th October’25 & 29th October’25 at SFA, Sirsaim & Duler Ground, respectively. Defending Champions Muthoot Football Academy are back to defend their title & will present a formidable challenge to the other contenders.
The first set of Matches took place on 21st October’25, with AIFF Talent Academy emerging winners with a thumping 4-1 win over Dempo SC. In another match Bengaluru FC beat Cortalim Villagers 9-0 to mark a perfect start to the campaign. The Match between Sesa FA and Belgaum United ended in a score of 2-1 in favour of Sesa FA. The result for Muthoot FA vs FC Goa was due in at the time of going to the press.
Indian football needs a steady pipeline of players as well as forums & platform for matches to take place. It is here that the Vedanta Youth Cup fits into the larger picture & is a significant marker for assessing the young talent available in the country, particularly as the age group stages are an indicator of the existing football eco-system. With the Goa Football Association and the Goa Football Development Council identifying grass-roots talent, community connect and fan interest as the critical drivers of growth of the sport in Goa & beyond, the 4th Vedanta Youth Cup could not have come at a better time.
The tournament will spur interest among the young footballers as also help draw talent from the villages, especially with SFA having its catchment area from among the rural and mining belt in Goa.
Leena Verenkar, Head SCDF & Head CSR, Sesa Goa said “SFA has since 1999 been focussing on nurturing homegrown talent from the rural and mining belts of Goa. It has been a vessel for developing and nurturing the rich legacy of Goan and National football. Over the last three years it has successfully expanded into age group teams. At Vedanta U-16 Youth Cup we get to assess our skills against the best and which in turn helps us in developing holistically. We’re excited to see these young players rise to the occasion and make the most of this invaluable experience.”
Gavin Araujo, Technical Director, SFA, said “The Vedanta U-16 Youth Cup is a fantastic opportunity for young footballers to test their skills against some of the best teams across the state and the country. It is a superb platform that provides the right impetus to the young footballers and gives them the much needed edge in terms of honing skills and sharpening key attributes including mental robustness. Each match will not only challenge their technical abilities but also their physical prowess and resilience.”
The Vedanta U-16 Youth Cup is being hosted by Sesa Football Academy, who have successfully conducted the I-League 3 and IWL 2 games and are steadily establishing their credentials as stand out organisers for GFA & AIFF tournaments. Through initiatives such as the Vedanta Youth Cup, Vedanta Sesa Goa continues to provide aspiring footballers with essential exposure, resources, and a platform to showcase their talents.
