Goa Football Association (GFA) celebrated the achievements of the 2025-26 season at the GFA Awards Night 2026 held at the Taleigao Community Hall on Monday, bringing together players, coaches, administrators, match officials, clubs and stakeholders from across the state for an evening of recognition and celebration.
One of the highlights of the evening was the announcement of the partnership between the Goa Football Association and Reliance Foundation for the Youth Leagues of the 2026-27 season, a significant step towards strengthening youth football development and creating enhanced opportunities for young footballers across Goa.
The prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award (Administrator) was presented to Shivanand Salgaocar in recognition of his immense contribution to football administration. A lifelong football enthusiast inspired by his father, the late Vasudev Salgaocar, Shivanand Salgaocar played a pivotal role in guiding Salgaocar Football Club to numerous domestic honours, including the National Football League, Federation Cup, Rovers Cup and several state titles. He also served the game with distinction through various leadership roles within the GFA and the All India Football Federation.
The Lifetime Achievement Award (Player) was conferred on former India captain Mauricio Afonso, regarded as one of Goa’s finest midfielders. A member of Goa’s victorious Junior National Championship team in 1981 and Santosh Trophy-winning squads in 1983 and 1984, Mauricio enjoyed a distinguished playing career before making an equally significant impact as a coach at both club and national levels.
Special Appreciation Awards were presented to Bernadinho Velho and Milagres Terez for their contribution to refereeing, the late Valerian R. Gerson Rebelo for his contribution to Goan football, Sandesh Chodankar for his work in investigating match-fixing allegations, Pravin Dabholkar for his role in bringing integrity concerns to the attention of the authorities, and Reliance Foundation for its contribution towards youth football development in Goa.
Sporting Clube de Goa was honoured as the Team of the Year following a memorable campaign that saw the club secure the Goa Professional League title and complete a hat-trick of league championships.
The evening also recognised the efforts of organisers, venue coordinators, volunteers, referees and officials who played a crucial role in the successful conduct of football competitions across the state throughout the season. Champions and runners-up from various youth, women’s and senior competitions were felicitated for their achievements.
Several individual awards were also presented to outstanding performers from clubs across Goa. Karen Ann D’Souza received the Fans’ Favourite Player Award after emerging as the clear winner in a public voting process conducted among football supporters across the state.
Addressing the gathering, GFA President Dr Caitano Fernandes thanked the football fraternity for its continued support and contribution towards the growth of the game in Goa.
“The success of every season is the result of the collective efforts of many people. I thank our Executive Committee members, GFA staff, organisers, referees, clubs, coaches, players, volunteers, sponsors and football fans who have stood by the game throughout the year. The achievements we celebrate tonight belong to the entire football community of Goa, and together we will continue working towards taking Goan football to greater heights,” said Dr Fernandes.
Dr. Fernandes also reaffirmed his commitment towards recognising sporting excellence and presented cash awards of Rs 1.5 lakh each to the Goa Beach Football Team, which won the silver medal at the national level, and the Goa Women’s Team in recognition of their achievements and contribution to the state’s footballing success.
The GFA Awards Night 2026 concluded with the football fraternity coming together to celebrate another successful season and honour those whose performances, dedication and service have contributed to the continued growth of football in Goa.
