The much-anticipated 3rd edition of the Vedanta U-15 Youth Cup commenced on 28th October, bringing together top youth football talent from across the state and the country for an intense series of matches in Goa. This year’s tournament features eight premier teams: Sesa Football Academy (SFA), South Goa United, Salgaocar FC, FC Goa, FC Bengaluru, Muthoot FA, Zinc FC and Dempo SC. The competition will be held at two premier venues, SFA’s Sirsaim campus and PVC Parra, 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. After the initial round of match-ups, matches are scheduled on 30th October, and 1st November, at SFA, Sirsaim and PVC, Parra. The semi-finals and the summit clash are scheduled on 3rd & 5th November at SFA , Sirsaim.
Adding an exciting dimension to this year’s tournament, two new teams — Zinc FC and Muthoot FA—join the roster, raising the stakes and competitive spirit. Last year’s champions, South Goa United, and runners-up, FC Goa, are back to defend and challenge for the title, promising thrilling encounters and a high standard of play.
In today’s times where there is no dearth of finding support for teams and sports, there has been a shrinking in the talent pool of young age group footballers. The U-15 Youth Cup fits into an extremely significant space in terms of development of football in Goa and beyond, as the age group stages are an indicator of the football eco-system prevailing in India. With the Goa Football Association and the Goa Football Development Council identifying grass-roots talent, community connect and fan interest as the critical factors plaguing the future growth of the sport in India, the 3rd 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 including U-13,U-15,U-17 & U-19 . Our focus is on strengthening Goan and Indian football and supporting age-group football contributes to the aim. At Vedanta U-15 Youth Cup we get to assess our skills against the best and which in turn helps us in developing holistically. We are 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-15 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 for developing football skills and for assessing each other against some of the best teams around. This tournament 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-15 Youth Cup stands as a testament to Vedanta’s ongoing dedication to promoting grassroots football and building a pipeline of skilled athletes who could one day represent India on national and international stages. Through initiatives like this, Vedanta aims to provide aspiring footballers with essential exposure, resources, and a platform to showcase and enhance their talents in a highly competitive environment and supporting them in realising their aspirations att the national and international stages.
